The Official Voice of Goku Reveals the Secret to Playing Dragon Ball’s Protagonist

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Masako Nozawa, the iconic voice of Goku, recently explained what she believes makes the character so popular and long-lasting. In an interview featured in the booklet for the *Dragon Ball DAIMA* Blu-ray, Nozawa shared the core of her approach to voicing the Saiyan hero, an approach she’s used for almost 40 years.

A recent fan translation on X (formerly Twitter) of a booklet included with the *Dragon Ball DAIMA* Blu-ray release revealed a secret to how voice actress Masako Nozawa created the legendary *Dragon Ball* character, Son Goku. The booklet featured an interview with Nozawa, where she discussed her decades-long experience voicing Goku and how she’s consistently brought such an iconic character to life.

Dragon Ball’s Masako Nozawa Opens Up About the ‘Secret’ to Playing Goku

During an interview, Nozawa was asked how she brought so much energy to her performance as Goku. She admitted she didn’t have a specific ‘secret,’ but suggested that staying positive and optimistic might be key. While modest, her answer perfectly captures the essence of Goku himself – a hero defined by his good heart, unwavering optimism, and strong will.

Since his debut in *Dragon Ball* in 1984, Goku has become a legendary figure, largely due to his incredible spirit. Whether training with Master Roshi or fighting powerful enemies like Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu, he always tackles challenges with confidence and never gives up, believing he can overcome anything – even the impossible.

Goku’s unwavering optimism has been a core part of his story for over forty years. Voice actress Masako Nozawa’s observation that “being optimistic is a good thing” not only explains how she’s brought Goku to life for nearly four decades, but it’s also heavily influenced many popular anime heroes we see today. A common characteristic of these beloved characters is facing even hopeless battles with a positive attitude. Even a tiny chance of winning is enough to push them to achieve incredible feats of strength.

Goku’s natural skill makes him exceptionally talented, contributing to his status as one of anime’s most beloved characters. His positive attitude has been key to the widespread popularity of *Dragon Ball*, and it paved the way for characters like Tanjiro Kamado, who recently propelled *Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle* to become Japan’s highest-grossing international film.

Akira Toriyama, who passed away in 2024, will always be remembered for creating Goku and the *Dragon Ball* series, most recently seen in *Dragon Ball DAIMA*. While the special Blu-ray box set of *Dragon Ball DAIMA* (which includes a booklet) isn’t yet available in English, fans outside of Japan can watch the complete anime on Crunchyroll.

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2025-10-05 22:09