Dragon Ball Actress Shares Story of How Goku Helped an Ill Fan Beat the Odds
Dragon Ball may be a fun show to watch, but that is not all the series has become to fans. Over [...]
Dragon Ball may be a fun show to watch, but that is not all the series has become to fans. Over the decades, the shonen title has become a source of inspiration to millions of fans around the world, and that is a weight its actors know well. In a recent interview, the original voice actress for Goku told the story of how motivational Dragon Ball was to one fan, and the now-viral story has touched the hearts of thousands.
Recently, Nozawa told the story on a Japanese TV show where she was being interviewed about her work. The legendary voice actor has played Goku since he was brought to television, and Nozawa said she was reminded of how powerful anime was when a sick child's dad sent her a letter.
"I sometimes wonder what the power of anime is," the actress began. "One year in February, a letter came from a man. 'My son loves Dragon Ball. Please give him your autograph.' His son was seriously ill and would not live until the end of February."
Continuing, Nozawa said she decided to record a message as Goku meant for the child. The message saw Goku tell the fan he will wait for him in theaters this August when a new Dragon Ball film went live. Months passed, and Nozawa said she heard back from the father after the movie hit theaters.
"My son miraculously watched the movie. We brought a bed, but he sat on a seat. And he passed away the next day."
Nozawa also said the boy's doctor sent a letter to her as well. It was there he asked the voice actress what exactly the power of anime was, and Nozawa told the program she believes the power is still great. It may not be quantifiable in scientific terms, but the hope which Goku inspired in this young fan is something which Nozawa cannot ever forget.
So, how was Dragon Ball or anime helped motivate you over the years? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!
Dragon Ball Super currently airs its English dub on Adult Swim during the Toonami programming block on Saturday evenings. It is also available to stream on Funimation and Amazon Video. The Japanese-language release of the series is complete, and available to stream on FunimationNOW and Crunchyroll. The manga has chapters that can currently be read for free thanks to Viz Media, and Dragon Ball Super's big movie, Dragon Ball Super: Broly, is now available on Blu-ray and DVD.
