The passing of Akira Toriyama in 2024 deeply affected anime and manga fans worldwide, but few tributes resonated as emotionally as the words shared by Masako Nozawa, the iconic Japanese voice actress behind Goku. For decades, Nozawa and Toriyama helped shape one of the most influential anime franchises in history through their collaboration on Dragon Ball.
Nozawa’s response to Toriyama’s death quickly spread across the anime community because it revealed how personal their relationship truly was. Her message was not simply a professional statement honoring a creator. Instead, it reflected decades of trust, friendship, and shared responsibility for bringing Goku to life across generations of fans.
The tribute also highlighted the unique connection between Toriyama’s writing and Nozawa’s performance. Together, they created a version of Goku that became one of anime’s most recognizable characters worldwide. Understanding Nozawa’s tribute, therefore, means understanding the emotional legacy behind Dragon Ball itself.
Here’s a closer look at what Masako Nozawa said about Akira Toriyama, why her tribute became so meaningful to fans, and how Goku’s voice became permanently tied to Toriyama’s legacy.
What Masako Nozawa Said About Akira Toriyama
Following Toriyama’s passing, Nozawa released an emotional statement expressing her grief and disbelief. One part of the tribute especially resonated with fans because it referenced something Toriyama often told her personally.
According to translations shared widely online, Nozawa remembered Toriyama repeatedly saying:
“Please take care of Goku.”
Nozawa explained that remembering those words helped her maintain the determination to stay by Goku’s side for the rest of her life. She also stated that she still could not emotionally process Toriyama’s passing and described feeling emotionally empty after hearing the news.
The tribute immediately became one of the most emotional responses connected to Toriyama’s death because it showed how deeply both creators valued Goku as a shared responsibility rather than just a fictional character.
Why the “Take Care of Goku” Line Matters
The phrase “Please take care of Goku” carries enormous emotional significance within the Dragon Ball community. On the surface, it sounds like a simple request from a creator to a voice actor. However, fans quickly realized it symbolized something much deeper.
Toriyama trusted Nozawa with the emotional identity of Goku. Since Goku’s voice became inseparable from the character in Japan, Nozawa effectively became one of the guardians of Dragon Ball’s legacy.
This trust matters because Goku’s personality relies heavily on vocal performance. His cheerful optimism, innocence, battle excitement, and emotional sincerity all depend on Nozawa’s delivery. Without her performance, Goku would feel fundamentally different.
The statement, therefore, reflects Toriyama’s confidence that Nozawa understood the heart of the character better than anyone else.
Masako Nozawa Helped Define Goku’s Identity
One reason Nozawa’s tribute carried so much emotional weight is that her voice became synonymous with Goku across multiple generations. She has voiced not only adult Goku but also child Goku, Gohan, Goten, and several related characters throughout the franchise.
Unlike many anime protagonists who undergo major vocal changes over time, Goku maintained a recognizable emotional core largely because Nozawa remained attached to the role for decades. Her energetic and playful performance became central to the character’s identity.
This consistency allowed fans to emotionally connect with Goku across different eras of Dragon Ball, including Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Z, Dragon Ball Super, movies, and games.
As a result, many Japanese fans view Nozawa’s voice as inseparable from Toriyama’s original vision of Goku.