Who should succeed Masako Nozawa?

[PurestEvil]

Hopefully none of that "RIP" shit. Enough already, damn.

What’s your problem with people saying Rest In Peace?

[FPSSJ4_Goku]

Hopefully none of that "RIP" shit. Enough already, damn.

What’s your problem with people saying Rest In Peace?

She's not dead yet!

[MyVisionity]

Ordinarily a reboot might seem out of the question, but Dragon Ball is a very old and very popular franchise. It's not just any other anime. And Nozawa isn't just any other actor. Not to mention she's the main character.

A reboot doesn't have to mean old stories, it can mean new material. An all new Goku on all new adventures.

Hopefully none of that "RIP" shit. Enough already, damn.

What’s your problem with people saying Rest In Peace?

It's repetitive and lazy as fuck. Like, what the hell is Rest in Peace supposed to signify? If someone wants to pay their respects then put some kind of effort into it. Some kind of meaning. And if it's Masako Nozawa, then it had better damn well mean something if you're going to take the time to comment.

RRRRIIIIIIIPPPPPP!!! <<< Sounds like someone tearing a phonebook in half or something. Do better than this.

[PurestEvil]

Hopefully none of that "RIP" shit. Enough already, damn.

What’s your problem with people saying Rest In Peace?

It's repetitive and lazy as fuck. Like, what the hell is Rest in Peace supposed to signify? If someone wants to pay their respects then put some kind of effort into it. Some kind of meaning. And if it's Masako Nozawa, then it had better damn well mean something if you're going to take the time to comment.

RRRRIIIIIIIPPPPPP!!! <<< Sounds like someone tearing a phonebook in half or something. Do better than this.

Ah yes because every condolence message on the internet is supposed to be written in several paragraphs in the format of a newspaper obituary. That wouldn’t be tedious or as repetitive as saying RIP, at all!

[Demon Prince Piccolo]

A reboot doesn't have to mean old stories, it can mean new material. An all new Goku on all new adventures.

Is the same not true for a continuation? Also, why are we arguing over condolences to the dead when the person of subject hasn't died? And even if someone has, I feel like it's in poor taste to tell people how they should respond in an instance like this. RIP sounds a lot better than "Hope you're burning in hell" from where I'm sitting.

[Cure Dragon 255]

Dude its My Visionity... just... just let him be. It will spare you a headache.

[MyVisionity]

A reboot doesn't have to mean old stories, it can mean new material. An all new Goku on all new adventures.

Is the same not true for a continuation? Also, why are we arguing over condolences to the dead when the person of subject hasn't died? And even if someone has, I feel like it's in poor taste to tell people how they should respond in an instance like this. RIP sounds a lot better than "Hope you're burning in hell" from where I'm sitting.

If you don't mind a continuation with a new voice actor as the lead, then sure.

I wouldn't try and tell anyone how to respond in those circumstances, that's just my take on it.

I think that "Hope you're burning in Hell" is actually a lot better than RIP. It's honest, more meaningful, and not like some damn robot.

[Nagyzöld]

I think that "Hope you're burning in Hell" is actually a lot better than RIP. It's honest, more meaningful, and not like some damn robot.

As someone who went recently through a funeral, I dare you to say that, to anyone's late relative. Next thing you'd probably need a nose job.

And to be on-topic, I can't tell exactly who should succeed Nozawa if the case. I'm not a textbook of Japanese VAs, probably someone with a childish, raspy, strong voice, similar to hers. A reboot or a discontinuation of the character of Goku won't happen, because Dragon Ball is one of the few dinosaur-old franchises which continue the same narrative from the first episode. The story of the little monkey boy from 40 years ago is not over yet. And they aren't done milking it.

[Demon Prince Piccolo]

If you don't mind a continuation with a new voice actor as the lead, then sure.

I wouldn't try and tell anyone how to respond in those circumstances, that's just my take on it.

I think that "Hope you're burning in Hell" is actually a lot better than RIP. It's honest, more meaningful, and not like some damn robot.

As Nagyzold pointed out, a broken nose is equally honest and meaningful. And yes, if there is more Dragon Ball to be milked, I feel it might as well be a continuation and not a complete reboot. Revamp the animation as much as you like, but if we're going to hear a new Goku either way, I say just continue with it.

[MyVisionity]

I think if you're going to recast with another actor, but not revamp the series, then at least revamp the character itself. They can have Goku undergo some kind of new transformation that changes him at his core. Or at least something that reflects the change in actors. Mutation, spiritual possession, quantum fusion, reincarnation, or whatever.

[Neo-Makaiōshin]

I think if you're going to recast with another actor, but not revamp the series, then at least revamp the character itself. They can have Goku undergo some kind of new transformation that changes him at his core. Or at least something that reflects the change in actors. Mutation, spiritual possession, quantum fusion, reincarnation, or whatever.

Why should a recast lead to revamp Goku? Voice directors exist for a reason, they will guide the new VA to portray Goku the same way Nozawa did but with their own voice.

[MyVisionity]

Why should a recast lead to revamp Goku? Voice directors exist for a reason, they will guide the new VA to portray Goku the same way Nozawa did but with their own voice.

No voice director could completely hide the fact that Goku is being portrayed by a new actor. In that case, why not treat the audience with some respect and write the change into the story. Not only do you avoid deceiving the viewers, but you also show respect to Nozawa's work as the character.

[goku the krump dancer]

Bulma and Mr.Satan's original voice actors have passed away and have been replaced without the characters going through some in-uninvere personality shift, its never been that serious.

Superman and Batman have been around waaay longer than Toriyama's Goku has and have had dozens of different VA's at the helm over the decades, some more iconic than others but none that were so big that writers thought that the only way to keep the character going on past the current voice actors life time is to rewrite them so the voice change "makes sense", that's so unnecessary. No single actor/actress is bigger than the role being played, its just a job at the end of the day and anyone can be replaced.

Side Note : Sometimes I wonder how many of us here actually interact with regular people in real life or are message boards and social media the center piece of our day to day interactions with other humans.

[Soppa Saia People]

i do think nozawa's role in dragon ball is pretty bigger then just about any voice actor could hope to be, afaik besides the trunks special there's not a single point in animated dragon ball where she hasn't voiced the main character of the story, and she's been incredibly popular in her roles for forever, but i really don't think a franchise like dragon ball would ever stop if one person couldn't work on it anymore. like it's not like a cult show that lasted for a year or something, nor is it like one person's vision where it's kinda lost without that person, so i don't see a reason why they would stop the series in its tracks without nozawa.

i would be curious who they would chose to replace her, i love rica matsumoto's voice, but her voice is probably a little too "teenager" for goku but she could make a decent gohan, and i think all the roles i've heard romi park in kinda lack the softness that goku needs sometimes. hmm maybe let minami takayama have a break from conan and voice goten lol.

[MyVisionity]

Bulma and Mr.Satan's original voice actors have passed away and have been replaced without the characters going through some in-uninvere personality shift, its never been that serious.

Superman and Batman have been around waaay longer than Toriyama's Goku has and have had dozens of different VA's at the helm over the decades, some more iconic than others but none that were so big that writers thought that the only way to keep the character going on past the current voice actors life time is to rewrite them so the voice change "makes sense", that's so unnecessary. No single actor/actress is bigger than the role being played, its just a job at the end of the day and anyone can be replaced.

Bulma and Satan ain't Son Goku. Goku is the main character and face of the franchise, and Masako Nozawa's performance is iconic. That can't just be shrugged off, especially if it were for an entirely new series starting up or a full-time return.

The Superman and Batman comparison don't apply, as those different voice actors were all playing different characters, not the same character. Different versions in each series. Whereas there's only one Goku.

And it's not "just a job" in Japan. Those Seiyuu are indeed bigger than the roles they play, forever linked to their characters. The producers go to great lengths to preserve those links and maintain the actors for life.

[goku the krump dancer]

Do some people excel at their crafts so well that they become cultural icons? Sure. But its still a replaceable position in the grand scheme of things, The Chicago Bulls didnt cease to be when Jordan retired from the NBA, WWE didn't stop when Austin and Rock left. Hell Stan Lee hadn't personally written a Spider Man story in like some 30 years prior to his passing. His namesake will always be associated with American comics at large but it has moved on past him for decades now. So yes as iconic as her performance as Goku and his sons is, Masako Nozawa is still replaceable, or able to be succeeded I should say.

[Soppa Saia People]

i dunno the bulls did kinda stop existing after jordan retired and they traded pippen tbh lol.

but yeah i just don't see a scenario where anyone within the the franchise passes away or leaves and it just stops.

[SuperSaiyaManZ94]

Whoever her successor ultimately is when she does eventually retire or pass on is going to have some very big shoes to fill, especially considering she's THE one and only voice of Goku (plus Gohan and Goten) on the Japanese side ever since the anime first started back in 1986 and been the definitive voice for multiple generations of fans. You're going to have that initial growing pains period with a new seiyuu and it's going to feel so different and bizarre when Nozawa is no longer actively voicing her characters. Quite simply, even if they're able to do a good performance in their own right it's never really going to be the same. They could in theory get a seiyuu who does as close to a voice match impression of Nozawa as possible and it would still not fully recapture what has made her take so distinctive for so many years.

[MyVisionity]

It's going to feel so different and bizarre when Nozawa is no longer actively voicing her characters. Quite simply, even if they're able to do a good performance in their own right it's never really going to be the same. They could in theory get a seiyuu who does as close to a voice match impression of Nozawa as possible and it would still not fully recapture what has made her take so distinctive for so many years.

"Different and bizarre", exactly. If a new person voicing Goku will feel different and bizarre, then the writers should go ahead and make the character different and bizarre. Goku himself should "never really be the same", after experiencing a metamorphosis of some kind. Instead of trying to recapture Nozawa's characterization, you create a new and different characterization for Goku. One that remains true to who Goku has always been, yet is unafraid to explore who Goku *can* be. That way you acknowledge that post-Nozawa, Goku has changed, while honoring Nozawa's iconicity. The audience will then have an easier time of processing the change and be more at ease.

[Koitsukai]

Nozawa is really important, but she is not more important than Goku.
Goku as a lead is too big to depend on his seiyuu, and a seiyuu passing away will not change what the character is like. Go tell the author that they have to re-do the character they have been writing for 30 years because the person that provides their voice, is no longer able to do so... It's like if Barcelona FC suddenly said, ok with no Messi, let's focus on some other sport now, football is over.

Jesus, in what head would revamping the lead character of a global, 3-decade-long succesful franchise sound like a good idea? or good business even?

When the dreaded day arrives, they'll probably find someone who can do it as close as she does, if they don't have somebody already in mind or in training. People will get accostumed to it eventually.