Dragon Ball fandom at war with itself over "one of the worst takes of all time"

The Dragon Ball community is no stranger to controversial opinions, but there was a recent one involving the Japanese voice of Goku, Masako Nozawa, that strongly divided the fandom. This included popular anime YouTuber NCHammer23 claiming that he truly dislikes Nozawa's voice for the legendary shonen protagonist, with some fans calling it "one of the worst takes of all time."

It is easy to understand the reactions when considering that Nozawa has been the voice of Goku since the original Dragon Ball began to air back in the 80s and continues going strong, even at 88 years old. Therefore, while the person in question is entitled to his own opinion, there is no denying that perhaps it could have been worded better.

Disclaimer: The article contains the author's opinions.

Dragon Ball fandom debate recent take regarding the voice of Masako Nozawa as Goku

Expand Tweet

As previously stated, anime YouTuber NCHammer23 recently stated in his podcast, Otakus Anonymous, that he didn't like Masako Nozawa as the voice for Goku, feeling that her high-pitch approach for the character is miscast. Naturally, the vast majority of the fandom arrived to defend Nozawa's performance while others were trying to make an argument for the YouTuber's take.

It is also worth pointing out that most English-speaking audiences have grown up watching the franchise with Sean Schemmel voicing Goku for their dub, so the contrast might have been shocking for some viewers. However, Nozawa is a legend in the seiyuu industry in Japan and has been voicing the protagonist since his anime debut in the 80s, to the point she was still portraying him during the recent Daima series at age 88.

Therefore, while everyone is entitled to their opinion, perhaps the issue that warranted such an extreme reaction from the community was the way that it was delivered. No one is forced to like Nozawa's performance as Goku, but it is also worth pointing out that she has been one of the sole constants of the franchise for decades when it comes to the Dragon Ball anime, so her career should be treated with a degree of respect.

More reactions online

Expand Tweet

The Dragon Ball community is used to comments of this ilk, but it is also worth pointing out that the vast majority didn't appreciate it. Moreover, when considering that NCHammer23's favorite series is Naruto, some also pointed out that the titular protagonist is also voiced by a woman, Junko Takeuchi, thus emphasizing that they don't understand his criticism of Nozawa.

Some, as mentioned earlier, have highlighted that there is a cultural difference, especially considering those who grew up with the English dub. This is something that can be applied to other parts of the world as well, but there are better ways to express it when it comes to a person who has been instrumental in the franchise's success and was hand-picked by the author of the series, Akira Toriyama.

"Wait till they hear about their boy Naruto. That’s also voiced by a woman. Not only in sub but also in sub. NCHammer is such a hypocrite when it comes to that stuff," wrote someone on X.

"I feel like anyone who really tries watching a few episodes in sub will grow to like Nozawa’s Goku. People probably just pull up clips of Goku screaming and make their judgement there, but in the quiet, calm moments Nozawa really sells her Goku," said another person.

"This is a common US take tbh. A lot of DBZ fans here do not like OG Goku's voice and think he's miscast. It's fine when he was a kid but it sounds stupid when he's a grown dude I feel the same way tbh and a lot of dudes I grew up with who like DBZ have said the same," said someone else.

This could apply to other characters of the series, such as Vegeta, Bulma, Piccolo, and more, with some people preferring the original Japanese voices while others go for the dub they grew up with. It is not something exclusive to Dragon Ball but is one of the most notorious examples because of the franchise's worldwide reach.

"I can understand not liking a voice but man, they're rude about it. Nozawa set the standard and is still doing this at nearly 90. And she seems like such a sweet person. She's the man!" wrote one person.

"I feel the same way. Don’t have an issue with a woman voicing male characters because some of my favorite male voices came from women. However, Goku’s Japanese voice doesn’t feel right to me either. We all have our own opinions but he’s not in the minority by any means," said a user on X.

The debate of Japanese voices when compared to the different dubs in Dragon Ball is a tale as old as time and will continue in the coming years, both with this franchise and many more.

Related articles:

About the author

Kevin is an expert anime writer at Sportskeeda who endeavors to keep readers apprised with the latest news and trends in the genre via his content. The groundbreaking Dragon Ball series captured a young Kevin's imagination, introducing him to the entrancing world of Japanese animation. Since then, he has been a staunch follower of the works of many artists, including Berserk's creator, Kentaro Miura, who he admires greatly for his unparalleled work quality.

With a BA in Public Accounting, Kevin’s dip into the world of content began 7 years ago when he took up writing. Since then, he has written for numerous websites, including Nerdgenic, Stretty News, MusikHolics, and BookNerdection.

He maintains very high ethical standards in his content by placing a strong emphasis on transparency, and obtaining comprehensive information off the web to fully capture nuances.

Kevin has has had the privilege of interviewing several musicians, including metal band Stryper’s Michael Sweet, Bobby Blitz of Overkill, and Saxon’s Biff Byford.

When not immersed in the anime world, Kevin writes comic book scripts and books for his own projects. He also enjoys reading and watching football.

Know More

Edited by Meghna