Masako Nozawa Becomes First Voice Actor Honored by Japan

The Japanese government has named 21 people to this year’s list of Persons of Cultural Merit, and the roster carries real significance for anime and manga fans. Among the honorees is Masako Nozawa, the legendary voice of Son Goku in Dragon Ball and Kitaro in GeGeGe no Kitarō, who becomes the first voice actor ever to receive the distinction.

She is joined by manga creator Keiko Takemiya, known for Toward the Terra and The Door into Summer, along with dancer and actor Min Tanaka and playwright and actor Hideki Noda. Their ceremony is set for November 4 at The Okura Tokyo hotel.

Nozawa’s career is staggering in its length. She first appeared in the original Astro Boy anime back in 1963, voiced Kitaro across the 1968 and 1971 series, and has played Son Goku for decades. She even holds Guinness World Records tied to her time voicing Goku in games, and in 2023 she received a Kan Kikuchi Prize as a trailblazing figure among Japanese voice actors.

Takemiya’s honor is just as meaningful. She helped shape both modern shōjo manga and modern science fiction manga, and as a member of the influential Year 24 Group alongside Moto Hagio and Riyoko Ikeda, she helped define the field as we know it. Her work on To Terra and Kaze to Ki no Uta earned Shogakukan Manga Awards.

For English readers, several of Takemiya’s works have been published abroad, including Toward the Terra and Andromeda Stories.

My take: It is genuinely moving to see voice acting and manga recognized at this level. Nozawa and Takemiya have shaped the medium for generations, and this honor feels long overdue.