Dragon Ball voice actress Masako Nozawa has slammed AI-generated videos using her voice without permission, calling the practice “unforgivable” and comparing it to theft.
The 89-year-old Japanese actress has voiced Goku since Dragon Ball debuted in 1986, also portraying characters including Gohan and Goten throughout the franchise.
Her decades of work have earned her widespread recognition, with Nozawa becoming the first voice actor to receive one of Japan’s highest cultural honors in 2025.
However, the Dragon Ball legend is now speaking out against the growing use of artificial intelligence to recreate her performances without consent.
CrunchyrollGoku voice actress blasts AI videos for stealing her voice
Speaking to Japanese broadcaster NHK, Nozawa expressed her frustration with AI-generated videos that imitate her voice, arguing that the technology cannot replicate the emotion behind her performances.
“It has no heart,” she said, according to a translation shared by Dragon Ball Hype. “It might even be a perfect copy. But it has no heart, does it? Without heart, it’s no good, whatever the role. Even a voice that’s only crying is different when you cry with real feeling. That’s what I believe.”
“This is not my voice. Using it without permission is unforgivable. It’s the same as theft, and it makes me angry,” she added.
Nozawa stressed that her voice and acting belong to her, arguing that anyone looking to recreate or use her performances should seek permission first.
The comments came as the Japan Actors Union, which represents roughly 2,600 actors and voice performers, announced new guidelines on October 15 aimed at protecting performers from unauthorized AI voice cloning.
The guidelines call for performers to give consent before their voices are used to train AI models, generate new recordings, or appear in published content. They also outline appropriate compensation and protections against unauthorized use.
Nozawa is not entirely opposed to the technology, however. In a video message supporting the announcement, she expressed excitement about AI’s potential while criticizing those using performers’ voices without permission.
She’s far from the only anime star raising concerns about the growing technology.
In August 2026, Evangelion voice actress Megumi Ogata called AI voice cloning “heartbreaking” and urged Japan’s government to intervene.
Meanwhile, Goku’s English voice actor Sean Schemmel previously accused a popular Dragon Ball YouTuber of using AI to imitate his voice, although the creator denied the allegations and insisted the impressions were entirely his own.
With AI-generated anime content becoming increasingly widespread, Nozawa’s comments highlight the growing concerns among voice actors about losing control of the characters and performances they’ve spent decades bringing to life.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
