Goku

DAIMA WONDERLAND! ARIGATO, TORIYAMA-SAMA

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, DBZ , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dragon Ball Daima Episode 20 Review

It’s over, everyone. After five months and twenty episodes, Dragon Ball Daima, the series made to honor the franchise’s 40th anniversary, has ended. The real question, though, is whether or not the series ended on a high note. And since it wound up being the last thing Toriyama worked on before his passing, fans wanted the finale to be the highest note possible. So, did it stick its landing? Did Toriyama choose to end the story in an epic fashion, or a comedic one?

Let me put it this way: if you loved Toriyama’s sense of humor, then you’re going to laugh at how the finale plays out.

Going Wild Right from the Start

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The second the episode cuts away from the Toei logo, Daima lets everyone know it’s not messing around. Instead of wasting time with the OP, it opts to get right into the action as SSJ 4 Goku and Gomah continue their final battle. And much to Dragon Ball fans elation, Daima gives eight minutes of glorious, uninterrupted fighting. And I do mean uninterrupted, as beyond the screaming, there’s almost no talking of which to speak. Just two super strong people punching each other in fast-paced sakuga fashion, epic beam struggle and all!

Those eight minutes aren’t just to entertain the audience. They’re a testament to why Dragon Ball is such a legendary anime. When it wants to go all-out on the fighting, it will pour every yen it has into giving the audience a show to remember.

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Unfortunately for the heroes, their big gambit fails at the last second, leaving them unable to get the Evil Third Eye out of Gomah. For a moment, it looks like things might really be all over for Goku and his comrades with Gomah poised to kill them all. It’s like those cutscenes some video games add after the player defeats the boss, only to make it seem like they failed. And like those cutscenes, Daima pulls something out of the fire that saves them in the most unexpected fashion.

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At first glance, it might seem like having Kuu be the one to stop Gomah feels like a cheap copout. However, this is Toriyama we’re talking about. That man loved to make everyone think things would go a certain way, only to have something unexpected and silly happen. Like Yajirobe cutting off Vegeta’s tail? Or Recoome getting one-shotted? Watch something long enough, and you’ll notice these sorts of things!

Plus, it makes what happens next pretty funny, too.

ALL HAIL KING KUU

So, Gomah doesn’t die after being defeated. Instead, the heroes opt to imprison the now ex-Demon King along with Degesu in a magic prison for the next 99 years. At least they’ll have plenty of video games to play while they think about what they did. However, things get interesting when Arinsu declines to become the next King (or Queen) because she didn’t get her wish from the Dragon Balls. Instead, the title goes to the one responsible for defeating Gomah: Kuu!

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Of all the ways that this could end, I donโ€™t think anyone expected Majin Kuu to be the one becoming the new King of the Demon Realm. However, it makes sense. He may not be strong, but heโ€™s good at befriending others and recognizing their talents. Case in point, he makes Arinsu his Vice-Demon King so she can keep using her knowledge to help everyone. Even better, he makes Neva, Marba, Glorio, Duu, and Kadan all Ministers to help him rule. And for the first time in eons, the Demon Realm has a ruler worthy of the position!

And so, like any good JRPG, the world this adventure took place in becomes a better place. People can now travel freely between the Demon Worlds, and thanks to the tunnels opening, the gas that gave Goku so much trouble in the Third Demon World becomes much lighter.

And so, with their quest done, Goku and the others head home, heroes one and all. But not before we get one last joke.

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Leave it to Toriyama to turn a seemingly ancient and unique artifact into something found at a drug store. I had the biggest grin on my face when I saw that.

PEAK. ANIME.

So, how was the finale to Dragon Ball Daima? Honestly, it was pretty good! It did a great job of balancing fanโ€™s expectations for the action with Toriyamaโ€™s sense of humor. That final fight between Goku and Gomah may not have been as epic as the fights heโ€™ll have in the future, but it stands as one of the series best in recent years. The kamehameha alone might be among the best in the entire franchise!

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As for the comedy, for those who saw the outcome as a cop out, I reiterate my previous examples. Toriyama understood the humor behind hyping someone up, only to have them absolutely embarrassed, and that was something he never forgot. The ending wasnโ€™t just an epic shouting match. It was also a return to the comedy found throughout Toriyamaโ€™s works!

Weโ€™ll likely be doing a full series review for Daima soon, so we can fully explore what worked and what didnโ€™t. However, at the end of the day, I would say that Daima proved to be a success for Dragon Ball. Even if it hadnโ€™t been the last thing Toriyama worked on before he died, it likely still would have been a success.

Also, it should be pointed out that the finale ended right before midnight, March 1st in Japan, exactly one year to the day that Akira Toriyama left this world to join the other great storytellers in Heaven. That could not have been a coincidence! People knowingly chose the finaleโ€™s date in honor of Toriyamaโ€™s memory! It was Japanโ€™s way of allowing him to move on to Otherworld, his work fulfilled!

Go, Akira Toriyama. Go teach a dinosaur to ride a ball in Heaven and spend eternity with the great storytellers of history.

I Give โ€œMaximumโ€ a 5/5

SUPER SAIYAN 4! SUPER SAIYAN 4 IS REAL!!!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 18 Review

Over the years, Dragon Ball GT has been a great subject of debate in the Dragon Ball community. Does the anime-original sequel hold up against its predecessors and successors? Is it even canon anymore since Super showed up? One thing that many fans agree on, though, is that Super Saiyan 4 was freaking awesome. From the shadow trim around the eyes to the red fur, SSJ4 gives off this wild, untamed look that was built for aura farming. While the canonicity of GT remains up for debate, it seems like Toriyama decided to give us one last gift: he made Super Saiyan 4 canon for us!

And the fans have been freaking out over it!

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Gomah is the Real Deal Now

If anyone doubted how tough Gomah would be when powered by the Evil Third Eye, that doubt has been thrown out the window. In the last episode, he managed to take every blow that the assembled partyโ€™s fighters could throw at him and shrugged it off like it was nothing!

Let me repeat that. The series broke the unwritten rule of fighting one-on-one by having eight fighters jump Gomah at once. And the best they could do was slow him down. Not even Goku is going to SSJ3, and Duu achieving a similar form is enough to pressure him for a long time. The Evil Eye is no joke!

To be fair, we cannot accurately assess how strong Gomah is in this form, as heโ€™s not fighting Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Shin at their full strength. As strong as they are as kids, theyโ€™re still kids, and have to deal with the nerfing that comes with that. However, given everything that weโ€™ve seen so far, and what he continues to accomplish in this episode, it might be fair to say Evil Eye Gomah is close to the level of Kid Buu. Considering the absolute menace Kid Buu was, and where this takes place in the timeline, thatโ€™s a pretty serious threat.

Things get so bad, in fact, that Neva has to go and pull a deus ex machina and give Goku a power-up just to save their hides. And what happens next is going to be debated among the fans for years to come: Super Saiyan 4 returned to Dragon Ball!

SUPER SAIYAN 4 RETURNS!!

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As previously mentioned, fans have debated for years over whether or not Dragon Ball GT is canon. Some say the story is not up to par with its predecessor, DBZ, or its successor, Super. Others want it to be canon simply because of how cool Super Saiyan 4 looks. And some would prefer it would be scrubbed entirely. Regardless of what fans think, one cannot deny how the addition of Super Saiyan 4 is a big deal. Given how Toriyama himself wrote the entire story for Daima before he died, this is basically him giving the form his stamp of approval. And just listen to how the fans have reacted.

Granted, many of those same fans will now be questioning why this form never appeared during Super. And through that, they may question if Daima is canon at all. But you know what? Who cares? Itโ€™s awesome, and so was the fight that followed.

In a series that has preferred to keep the action on a level to the early days of Dragon Ball, the fight between SSJ4 Goku and Gomah is a fantastic return to the days of Z and Super. The animation is fluid and fast-paced, Gokuโ€™s fighting style really leans into the more primal nature of his appearance. The whole thing is just awesome! The only reason that Gomah even survives is simply due to the plot armor heโ€™s wearing!

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Sadly, despite the huge power boost the heroes get, it turns out Gomah had been holding back the entire time. Itโ€™s unfair, but the story has to do it to justify the next plot twist as Glorioโ€™s double-agent status finally comes into play.

I must admit, itโ€™s a little disappointing to see that the Demon Realmโ€™s Dragon is just a red version of Porunga. I know itโ€™s supposed to keep with continuity, but come on, Toei. You could have had the dragon look like anything you wanted, and you chose to reuse Porunga? That feels like wasted potential! However, it was a good call to have the wish Glorio makes be spoken in Namekian. Since the audience doesnโ€™t understand Namekian, we wonโ€™t know what he wished for until the next episode. Did he follow through with Dr. Arinsuโ€™s wish to become the strongest in the Demon Realm? Or did he decide to turn on his employer and help the heroes? We wonโ€™t know until the next episode, and thatโ€™s the best kind of suspense the audience can be left on. Hopefully, the last two episodes of Daima will get the attention they deserve and end things on a high note.

I Give “Awakening” a 5/5

So, Glorio is Sus. We all Know that, Right?

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews, Crunchyroll, Dubs & Subs , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 6 Review

What is Glorio after? We know next to nothing about this enigmatic gunslinger from the Demon Realm, but given how he gave Goku and Shin the means to go after Gomah, he seems trustworthy. Despite Goku trusting him, Supreme Kai has remained noticeably on guard around him. On the surface, it could be because of the underlying tension between the different worlds of the Demon Realm. But as this week reveals, Shin might be onto something about Glorio, as we learn who heโ€™s actually working for.

Glorio’s True Loyalties?

After Panzy joins the party and they set off in a new ship/plane, the group has to make an emergency landing. A consequence of their ride being unable to handle all that weight. So, while Goku goes to use the bathroom, they have to ditch half of their supplies. That, and soldiers from Gomahโ€™s army come looking for Goku. His decision to stand up to the Gendermerie has made him a wanted man. Itโ€™s only a matter of time before Gomah realizes that Goku followed him home, and tries to throw everything he has at him. If not thanks to his army, then due to a certain someone very close to him.

When Glorio first appeared, he claimed to have been hired by King Kadan to bring him the one who beat Majin Buu. However, Kadan himself said Glorio only came to him with the idea, meaning he was hired by someone else. That someone else gets revealed when, after making camp for the night, Glorio makes a phone call to his actual employer, Dr Arinsu. AKA Shin and Degesuโ€™s older sister and chief scientist for Gomah.

Quick aside, this episode also confirms how the Glind, Supreme Kaiโ€™s race, are born from plants. Cool bit of lore there.

Why is Glorio Working for Arinsu?

For the record, the fact that Dr. Arinsu hired Glorio behind Gomahโ€™s back should not be surprising. Given how she gave him the idea to use Earthโ€™s Dragon Balls to make Goku and his friends kids, I suspected she knew that would make them get involved with Gomah. The fact that she already traveled to their Universe ahead of Gomah corroborates this. My working theory is that sheโ€™s pulling strings to ensure that Goku takes down Gomah for her own benefit. Or she could just be luring the Saiyan into a trap. Either way, this means that Shinโ€™s concerns about Glorio are more justifiable now.

Does that mean that Glorio is a direct threat, though? Thatโ€™s uncertain, as we soon learn why.

When a Minotaurus Demon (cool reference to Greek Mythology) shows up wanting to eat the party, Goku and Glorio argue over who will fight him. So, the two decide to have a sparring match to see who will be the Demonโ€™s opponent, much to their โ€œenemyโ€™sโ€ irritation. Though, given who heโ€™s dealing with, the Minotaurus isnโ€™t much of a threat.

Weโ€™ve gotten glimpses of how capable Glorio is in a fight, but this sparring session is when we truly start to see what he can do. As expected, he does manage to put up a good fight against Goku, even managing to knock the Power Pole out of his hands. Whatโ€™s more, we get to see what kind of magic Glorio uses: heโ€™s got lightning magic! He can fire it off like ki blasts, generate it from his fingertips like heโ€™s a Sith Lord. He can even turn it into a weapon like a whip!

Itโ€™s clear that Glorio is indeed strong. Right now, Iโ€™d say heโ€™s likely one of the strongest in the Demon Realm. However, Goku makes it clear that, even in his kid form, heโ€™s still stronger. The fact that he can still go Super Saiyan is a testament to that. It also puts into perspective how powerful the adult Goku would be compared to the people of the Demon Realm. Gomah may have underestimated Gokuโ€™s strength, but the show had to nerf him for it to work. Otherwise, he would likely steamroll through everything, and that wouldnโ€™t be any fun!

Oh, and the Minotaurus pulls a Mr. Satan and bails.

I’m Not Worried About Glorio

So, while fans now know that Glorio is sus, I donโ€™t think itโ€™s much of a problem. My guess is that even if something bad happens, it will be because Glorio had to fool Goku. Which, given that itโ€™s Goku, wonโ€™t be that hard. However, Goku has a habit of befriending those who start out opposing him, so I think Glorio will warm up to him with time.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, thereโ€™s good news and bad news to end the episode. The good news is that Bulma finished fixing Shinโ€™s ship. The bad news? When Kibito, Vegeta, and Piccolo go to use it, it shuts down almost immediately. Though I suspect it might have something to do with Kibito, mainly because the ED shows Bulma being the one to go to the Demon Realm. This will just justify that.

Itโ€™s taken a while, but it seems like Daima is starting to pick up steam. I suspect things will start to get a little more exciting over the next few episodes as we get into this for the long haul. Iโ€™m not complaining; this is Toriyamaโ€™s last gift to us, so I want it to last as long as possible.

I Give “Lightning” a 4/5

Goku & Luffy Share Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2nd Year in a Row

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

You know, considering how much Goku and Luffy eat, it feels appropriate that theyโ€™re balloons at the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

This year marks the hundredth anniversary of the Macyโ€™s Thanksgiving Day Parade, though itโ€™s only the 98th. It got canceled from 1942-44 because they needed the rubber for World War II. In that time, countless cultural icons have had their likeness be a part of the parade, reflecting what is considered popular in the US. And with anime having gone mainstream, that now includes the likes of Shonen icons such as Goku and Luffy.

This year, Goku appeared at the parade with a new balloon. Rather than the Super Saiyan Blue balloon thatโ€™s been used since his 2018 debut, Goku was shown off in his base form, smiling as he gives a two-finger salute to those watching. Considering how his new series, Daima, has him returned to a child form, this is very timely on the part of whoever makes the balloons. It should also be noted that this is first time Gokuโ€™s in the parade without his creator due to Akira Toriyamaโ€™s passing earlier this year. It should be noted that NBCโ€™s hosts for the parade did not make any mention of Toriyama as Goku went by, though. It feels like a missed opportunity.

As for Luffy, this year marks his second year of being a part of the Macyโ€™s parade, having debuted in 2023. Unfortunately, the future Pirate Kingโ€™s debut was marred when his balloon got blown into a tree as it passed by. The branches tore open the brim of his iconic straw hat, making it resemble a bucket hat instead. Fans took this in stride, though, as many jokingly called him โ€œBucket Hat Luffyโ€ and even made fanart of it.

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Unlike last year, this year had no branches or trees to get in Luffyโ€™s way. Considering how the One Piece anime had its 25th anniversary this year, itโ€™s good to see this happen to him. Itโ€™s a reminder of how much people love One Piece and support its creator, Eichiro Oda. Oda has had to take frequent breaks from the manga in recent years for his well-being, but many fans have been understanding of his needs.

Did you see the parade this year? Any other anime characters you hope to see join someday? Let us know!

More Worldbuilding for Demon Realm!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 4

Last time on Dragon Ball Daima, Goku, Glorio, and Superme Kai arrived in the Demon Realm, a dimension full of wonder and danger. Unfortunately, whatever plans they had to quickly track down Gomah and rescue Dende are derailed by the loss of Glorio’s plane. Now they have no choice but to proceed on foot. However, what’s unfortunate for them is fortunate for the viewers, as it lets this episode take the time to further explain how things in the Demon Realm work. From the methods people use to get around to how they enhance their strength, this episode does the best thing it can do for a land fans know nothing about: it keeps worldbuilding.

SOMEONE STOLE THEIR RIDE!!

Picking up right where the last episode ended, Goku, Glorio, and Supreme Kai have woken up to find that their plane is gone. The thugs that Goku humiliated at the bar stole it as payback. Given the urgency of their quest to get to Gomah, one would think recovering it would be a top priority. Instead, Glorio opts to take the unexpected route and decides they’ll continue on foot.

And before any viewers can point out that they can fly using ki, the show reveals it already thought ahead. The dense air of the area makes it difficult to fly for extended periods, leaving Goku and the others stuck on Terra Firma.

It might not seem like a big deal, but filling up this potential plot hole demonstrates how much forethought the people put into Daima. When Toei said that it would be returning Goku to his early days, they meant it! They’re doing everything to ensure that Goku can’t steamroll his way through their quest. That’s a sign of good writing!

Good Worldbuilding

As an added benefit to traveling on foot, the episode gets to continue the series’ worldbuilding efforts for the Demon Realm. Most notably, their stop at a tea shop for supplies demonstrates new story mechanics in the form of medicines. The Demon Realm has a medicine that serves as its equivalent to Senzu Beans, and a herb that can allow people to fuse together! Then immediately afterward, we get a new method of transportation in the form of giant, rocket-like seeds.

In one scene, we get introduced to the equivalent to two kinds of potions and a method of fast travel. At this point, there’s no point denying that JRPGs inspired Daima.

Covering Up the Plot Holes

In addition to introducing these story mechanics, another big piece of information we get involves the Dragon Balls of the Demon Realm. Viewers already know from listening to Gomah, but no one has been able to use the Demon Realm’s Dragon Balls because three guardians protect them. If they can’t beat these guardians, the Tamagami, they can’t have the Dragon Balls. It’s not a new concept, since GT had the Shadow Dragons near the end. But it still feels novel because solves an issue that I think many fans might have with the concept of the Dragon Balls:

“If the Dragon Balls are so easy for everyone to find, then why aren’t they protected to keep them out of unworthy hands?”

Keep in mind, when they were made, they were supposed to be hard to find, but Bulma creating the Dragon Radar made that pointless. Having their location known but protected by powerful warriors seems far safer. That, and it makes it seem like Daima is doing its best to make it so fans like TeamFourStar can’t point out its flaws.

A New Party Member Appears

At any rate, Goku’s need to fight powerful opponents makes the group change course to find the first Dragon Ball, and that leads to yet another bit of worldbuilding. In this case, we see just what the Demon Realm is like under Gomah’s rule, and it’s not good. The self-proclaimed king has his own army that he uses to extort villagers. They either forfeit what little money they have, or give up part of their life-span. It’s a sadistic choice that leads to suffering no matter what happens. Goku naturally steps in to fight the soldiers, but not before someone else does. A young girl that we’ve seen in the OP and ED for the series.

We don’t get her name in this episode, but judging by the title for the next episode, it’s pretty obvious that her name is Panzy. And if it’s not obvious by now, Toriyama based the names of the Demon Realm characters on puns involving flowers. The man was nothing if not consistent. And even though she only appears in the episode’s final act, it does a good of establishing her character. She’s brave and inventive, but her creations don’t always work the way she wants to. She’s like a younger version of Bulma, which could make for some interesting character dynamics in the future.

This episode might not be as action-oriented as some people would like, with most of the action taking place near the end, but that doesn’t make it a bad episode. Far from it; fans should appreciate the amount of worldbuilding Daima continues to give us. This is a story taking place in a realm that, until now, we know almost nothing about. I, for one, want to learn as much as possible about the Demon Realm. If that means that the story takes its time to get where it wants to go, so be it. It will be worth it in the end.

I Give “Chatty” a 4/5

Welcome to the Demon Realm, Goku!

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Anime Reviews , , , , , , , , , ,

Dragon Ball Daima Ep 3 Review

Toriyama was a mangaka, but his work extended beyond the pages and ink. He was also a noteworthy name in the industry of video games, having been the character designer for some of the most popular RPGs ever. Chief among them, we have the famous Dragon Quest series, often considered the grandfather of JRPGs. Iโ€™m not sure if Toriyama intended to do so when writing the story for Daima before his passing, but the third episode makes it seem like the series will take some inspiration from Dragon Quest. Given how Toriyama helped give that series its distinctive look, this feels like another appropriate tribute to the manโ€™s legacy. That, and it gives us some pretty funny moments.

Welcome to the Demon Realm

Having left Earth behind, the trio of Goku, Supreme Kai, and Glorio head to Warp-Sama, the entity that can give them passage to the Demon Realm. And from here, the episode largely becomes a means of providing lore and information about this new world weโ€™re going to see. From the outset, the Demon Realm is as breathtaking as fans had hoped, with the area the trio head to carrying a distinct fantasy setting. To further emphasize how much of a handicap Goku will be getting on this adventure, we even learn that the air in certain areas is heavier than normal, making it hard to move. The anime wants to make Goku return to his early days by making it as hard as possible!

Given how heโ€™s still Goku, though, heโ€™s able to hold himself pretty well in a fight. Though that may have more to do with the fact that theyโ€™re still in the starting area of the Demon Realm.

In many ways, this episode does feel like the opening to a JRPG. We get our initial party of heroes setting out for the first town, we see some of the enemies they may have to face, as well as the mechanics behind how this world works. If Toriyama wanted to channel as much of Dragon Quest into Daima, then so far, itโ€™s working.

Too bad the journey is already running into a few problems.

A Conflict Amongst the Demon Realm?

The episode makes it clear that the Demon Realm is a place that seems to be deeply divided, whether by nature or by design. There are actually three separate worlds that make up the Demon Realm (again, JRPG elements!), but the group has to start on the third and lowest one. In addition, itโ€™s revealed that access to the higher worlds is restricted behind barriers with those from the lowest unable to visit. Whatโ€™s more, when Glorio and Supreme Kai make conversation, they bring up how Shinโ€™s people come from the 2nd world of the Demon Realm. That alone is a major retcon for the Supreme Kaiโ€™s origins, but thatโ€™s besides the point. The point is that both Shin and Glorio are weary of each other, indicating some issues that remain unresolved.

To be fair, though, we still know little about Glorio beyond him being the Dragon Ball version of the scoundrel archetype. Heโ€™s guarded, able to handle himself in a fight, and seems to be hiding something from the others. I canโ€™t say that heโ€™s untrustworthy, but Iโ€™m hoping being around Goku will get him to open up more.

Those Jerks Stole Their Ride

To round out why Toriyama seemed to be pulling from JRPGs, the party manages to get their first quest before the episode ends. That quest being that some thugs that Goku beat up retaliated by stealing their โ€œPlane.โ€ Guess theyโ€™re going to get sidetracked!

This was a slow but fun start to the actual series, and if they keep using the JRPG elements, then I think that Daima is going to be one of the best things Dragon Ball has done in a long, long time. Also, those thugs are going to be so sorry when they realize who they stole from.

I Give “Daima” a 4/5

Masako Nozawa, Voice of Goku, to be Immortalized in AI

Aside Roderick J "Jay" Friz Anime, Blogging, Dubs & Subs, Voice Actor Spotlight , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Well, itโ€™s official now. The voice of Goku shall be forever immortalized.

In recent years, the use of artificial intelligence has become increasingly widespread and controversial. Many people are pointing out how programs like ChatGPT and the like can easily be used to replace the jobs of actual people. Worse, many voice actors fear that their voices could be replicated and reused without them getting any form of compensation for it. So, itโ€™s pretty controversial in the entertainment industry.

Now it could get even more controversial. A few days ago, the management agency for Masako Nozawa, the legendary seiyuu for Goku, has teamed up with a company that specializes in AI voice technology. Nozawa will be among a group of people who will permit their voices to be used for various voice-related technology across multiple different languages. In other words, we could hear the Japanese voice of Goku being used for an Alexa in the future. More importantly, though, that would give the owners of Dragon Ball the means to keep voicing Goku even after Masako has passed on.

And you know what? Iโ€™m okay with that.

I normally do not approve of companies making AI copies of famous celebrities voices. Especially when they do it without their consent or deciding not to pay them. However, the difference here is that Nozawa has consented to this. Sheโ€™s agreed to let it happen! And sheโ€™s not the only celebrity Iโ€™ve talked about on here who has done so. A few weeks ago, I talked about how the late James Earl Jones, the voice of Darth Vader, had agreed to have his voice replicated by another AI company. He agreed to it, and so has Masako Nozawa. Thus, I have no right to complain.

If Iโ€™m being perfectly honest, Iโ€™m glad that sheโ€™s agreed to this. Masako is 87 right now, and as much as we may want it, she canโ€™t keep playing Goku forever. I think that she understands this, and so she doesnโ€™t want to see the character of Goku die with her. By doing this, sheโ€™s making sure that Goku can continue to be voiced by her for as long people want to keep making stuff for Dragon Ball. Some voices are too powerful to let them fade away, and this is a prime example.