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Dragon Ball mangaka Akira Toriyama continues to be mourned by the entirety of the anime and manga industry since his death was confirmed this Friday, now with the Japanese voice actors of Goku and Vegeta, Masako Nozawa and Ryo Horikawa, respectively, paying their respects to this manga legend. Both have also been very vocal about the author's legacy and his impact all over the world.
Nozawa and Horikawa have been voicing these two characters in the series, video games, and so on, becoming just as important to them as, say, their abilities or even personalities. They were also relatively close to Toriyama, particularly Nozawa, who has worked with the Dragon Ball mangaka since Toei Animation started to adapt the manga in the mid-80s.
Goku and Vegeta voice actors pay their respects to the Dragon Ball mangaka Akira Toriyama
Masako Nozawa has been the official Japanese voice of Goku since the beginning of the anime adaptation of Dragon Ball in the mid-80s and has released an official statement about the passing of Akira Toriyama. Masako said:
“I don't want to believe it. My head is empty because I don't want to think about it. Even so, every time I see Goku, I remember what Toriyama Sensei said to me, 'You will take care of Goku, won't you?' I cherish that moment. It makes me think: 'I will stay by Goku's side until my strength runs out completely'. Sensei, please watch over us from the heavens. We hope you depart in peace.”
Ryo Horikawa, the Japanese voice of Vegeta since the character's introduction, also joined the mourning of the Dragon Ball mangaka, stating the following:
"It was a bolt out of the blue, and even now I am filled with disbelief. The series had just begun a new journey. The story was supposed to be more and more thrilling and exciting. It is too sudden. It is a pity. Thank you very much for giving birth to this wonderful work. Please rest well."
The legacy of Goku and Vegeta
Goku and Vegeta are probably the two most iconic characters that Dragon Ball mangaka Akira Toriyama has crafted throughout his body of work, turning them into manga and anime icons who have transcended pop culture as a whole. There are a lot of characters who have been inspired by Goku and Vegeta, to the point they have become archetypes of shonen manga and anime.
Their opposing personalities as well as their evolving friendship have been one of the most celebrated aspects of the entire franchise, and the input of Nozawa and Horikawa, along with many more voice actors who have played these characters all over the world, cannot be understated.
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