Dragon Ball Super Official Website
Goku vs. Arale:
Masako Nozawa & Mami Koyama
Special Interview (Part 2)
Looking at it through Goku’s eyes… Arale-chan‘s not an enemy, so even though they battle, I think he was just having fun with it.
Koyama:
Arale’s the same way. To her, it just feels like playing around with Goku-kun. It’s better that way!
Nozawa:
But out of all them, I guess Vegeta’s the only one taking it seriously… He’s the only one who can’t get into it. Since he’s just too proud. Whereas Goku immediately becomes friends with Arale-chan and just goes along with it, like he’s playing with her.
Koyama:
It feels great for Arale-chan to be going ‘uhhohoi!’ and playing. (laughs)
Nozawa:
Even Vegeta actually wants to get into it, but his pride won’t let him. He sure is a dummy. (laughs)
Koyama:
It’s been a long time since I’ve had this many lines, so it was a real challenge. (laughs) It’s also been a long time since I’ve gone ‘poke poke poke’.
Nozawa:
Arale-chan was super cute. Even Goku’s not quite his usual self. He’s not in battle mode. He was a bit cute, and Arale-chan‘s friend! That sort of thing.
■ From serious to comical, Son Goku can go anywhere!
We recorded that episode together too! Mako-san played several different roles then… (laughs) It was amazing to be there and see it firsthand.
Nozawa:
Goku, Gohan, and Goten… three roles. (laughs) But for this showdown episode (ep.69), I asked the producer to just have it be Goku. (laughs) Recently I’ve gotten an additional role, as Goku Black.
Koyama:
That’s incredible…!
Nozawa:
The “Future” Trunks arc was a serious story arc, but Dragon Ball can be cheerful at times, and serious at others. Its tone will change at the drop of a hat, right? I think the way it’ll change so suddenly is part of its appeal. I suppose because once it establishes that there’s this problem here, Goku will come flying in. Like if Freeza’s there, Goku will go out into space.
That’s not something you see every day! That guy was so bad! He tried to wipe out everyone in the entire universe. Zamasu is played by (Shin’ichirō) Miki-san, but I get so much into the role of Goku that in the studio I’d blurt out things like “Miki, why are you being so bad?!”… He’d have to tell me “Mako-san, this is just a role…” (laughs)
Koyama:
Oh my! (laughs)
Nozawa:
But never fear. Because Goku is here.
Koyama:
When there’s trouble, Arale goes to help too!
Nozawa:
That’s right. Goku can befriend anybody. He even managed to befriend Lunch.
Koyama:
Now that you mention it… I wonder where Lunch has gone off to. (laughs)1
※Lunch is a character from Dragon Ball, also voiced by Mami Koyama.
■ Goku and Arale-chan have both grown?!
Looking back at Arale-chan, she started out as a 13-year old in her first year of middle school.
Nozawa:
Wha~~?! Really?!”
Koyama:
That’s right. She was supposed to be an older girl. But she kept on shrinking… so now she looks like a little kid, just three heads tall. At first she was also supposed to talk more properly.
Nozawa:
I guess on the flipside Goku’s grown up. He’s even got a job now.
Koyama:
Yeah, he’s got a part-time job in this episode. (laughs)
Nozawa:
But his new job doesn’t work out. Be sure to watch that part too. (laughs)
Koyama:
A lot of the other main characters from Dr. Slump make an appearance. It sure did bring back memories. Especially when it said in the script that the opening theme song played, that made me really nostalgic. This cross-over episode is full of highlights, I’m so happy!