Masako Nozawa Interview

It didn’t feel like it had been that long. Even after the series ended, I’ve played Goku in games and such, so I’ve constantly lived my life with Goku. But, when I heard that this time would be a theatrical release, I thought, “All right!” It’s been a long time since I was able to meet up with everyone at the theater.

Playing him is the same in both games and movies. Goku is Goku. But, in people being able to see him on the big screen at the theater, I did feel a special significance. First of all, the size shown on the screen is different, you know? At the theater, there is an absolute size that the studio just can’t compete with.

It was split between [cast] members I’m able to meet with often, and those, not so much, and those who I hadn’t seen in a while said things like “Mako-san, long time no see!” The majority of the cast are those who I see often, so we just chatted normally. When Goku comes up in conversation, he feels less like a character, and more like just another person.

The ones that left the deepest impression were the trio of Shu, Mai, and Pilaf. They hardly appear at all [in the series], so it had been a while since I’d seen them.

We’d just chat normally, but we don’t share secrets much. When we enter the studio, we’re completely into our roles. Recording is often done separately, so this time, I didn’t get to see Mai. There are even voice-actors that I didn’t get to meet all the way to the end.

Yama-chan‘s Beerus is very good. He’s wrapped up with me a lot of the time, so I really wanted to record together with him, but our schedules just wouldn’t match up, so I recorded first. I’ve worked together with Yama-chan on a variety of other works, so I recorded while imagining, “this line would probably come out like this”. I hear Yama-chan recorded while listening to my voice as well; before seeing the test screening, I was a bit nervous about it, but it was spot-on, so I was satisfied.

Within me, it feels as though it’s just normally the same world as my own. I can’t think of it separately. It feels as though Goku is living together with me. Of course, there is the world of Masako Nozawa as an individual, as well, but it’s a world I can enter without feeling out of place. With the Dragon Ball family, even after it ended, there are always been other works [I see them with], and since we’ve made a family bond, it doesn’t have any special feeling. It’s just very normally, like they are living near to me. Within myself, I can’t think of it on its own, separate from me.¹

Something like “Battle of Gods” was different from what I’d imagined. When I read the script, I was surprised: “Whaa? So it’s like that?” I thought, “you mean there’s a God of Destruction?” But once I saw the character, it was a perfect fit. You can’t see him as an enemy. He’s a god who’s not godlike. A god who’s absentminded, mischievous, and lovable. To Goku, I think he’s a good opponent, who he immediately takes a liking to. When it comes to Beerus, [Goku]’d probably be able to call him without an honorific, like, “Hey, Beerus!” But he’d use an honorific with Whis, and call him “Whis-san“. In Goku’s mind, they’d have that sort of position [relative to him].

Well, I’d really like to say, “the whole thing”. As for my own highlights, I’d like you to pay attention to the family of the Toriyama World. There are top-notch cast members slipped in to even the background chatter, so it’s fun to try and find them. Each of them are there in the chatter, playing their own roles, [so you can] say, “Ah! Here’s so-and-so!” Normally, you can’t have that sort of thing.

Also, the battles. They’re incredible battles unlike the ones up to now. Not brutal, and with room to breathe; the battles are different from before. The way it ends is one unlike the ones before, as well, so I’d like you to look forward to it.

I’d like you to come as three generations of parents and children! I’d like you to bring your grandmothers, grandfathers, children, and babies, too. I think babies probably won’t understand whatever it is they’re watching, but the memory of having received some kind of shock remains, right? So if you have a baby, I’d like for you to bring it with you.

After this battle ends, Goku says how he felt in his own way, so I believe he’ll be training again. Goku is always pushing himself higher. He has no ambitions to become greatest on Earth, or to conquer it; he’s just someone who feels happiness in becoming stronger. Also, he’ll probably stand up against a new, strong foe. I want to keep pushing myself higher, as well. I’d like to keep on living so that Goku and I can make it into the Guinness Book together.