Dragon Ball Goku voice actor outraged by AI videos using his voice without permission

Masako Nozawa, best known for voicing Goku in the Dragon Ball animated series, is slamming AI users for stealing his voice to create projects using advanced technology, calling it "theft."

Masako Nozawa, best known for voicing Goku in the Dragon Ball animated series, is slamming AI users for stealing his voice to create projects using the rapidly advancing technology, calling it "theft."

If you're a fan of anime, you've probably seen a few fan-made videos that use AI to copy characters' voices and make them say some pretty outrageous things. This trend is not limited to English-speaking fans. It's happening frequently in Japan, too, so much so that voice actors have come together to create the country's first guidelines for using artificial intelligence voices.

Perhaps the most prominent of these actors is 89-year-old Nozawa. He is a prolific voice actor who has been working in the space for decades and is best known as the voice of Goku (as well as Son Gohan and various Gokus) in Dragon Ball.

In an Oct. 15 interview with Japan's NHK, Nozawa was shown an AI video that used his voice — and his response was nothing short of snarky.

He told this media: "This is not my voice. "I can't forgive them for using it without permission; it's like stealing and it makes me angry. I believe that my voice and acting are mine. If they want to use even a little of it, they have to ask my permission."

AI-generated voice may sound like me. It may even be the same. But he has little heart, doesn't he? Without heart, any role is not good. Even if it's just the sound of crying, I believe it's different if it's you. Cry with feeling."

On September 30, the Tokyo District Court ruled that the unauthorized use of people's voices violated their right to publicity in a landmark decision for the voice-over industry and AI laws as a whole. It's one of Japan's first major defenses against artificial intelligence, and follows a lawsuit filed by famous voice actor Kenjiro Tsuda against TikTok over a video that used artificial intelligence to mimic his voice.

"The rules are being made now, so I hope everyone follows them. "This is all assuming that everyone actually follows the rules." Nozawa said about the verdict.

Instead of relying on artificial intelligence, Nozawa encourages fans to work hard to become voice actors themselves. "I want you to work hard to become someone that people will definitely remember as a voice actor," he said. "If you don't put your heart into it, you're just reading the lines, so make them come alive."

Nozawa is vice president of the Japan Actors Guild, which held a press conference on October 15 to discuss its new guidelines on artificial intelligence voices. "The progress of artificial intelligence is amazing, isn't it?" Nozawa said in a statement. “The things I dreamed about as a child seem to be coming true one after another, and that excites me. But it is frustrating when it is used without permission. I hope everyone follows the rules and we can build a future where humans and AI can have fun together."

He's not the only prominent voice actor to have something to say, said AI Toshi Shimada, best known for his role as Tomuzu in the Chibi anime Maruko-chan. "What I fear most is that the voiceover industry will collapse if unauthorized AI voices continue to be uploaded."

Michihiro Ikemizu, another prominent voice and vice president of the union, explained that “the biggest problem is that people are losing their jobs. We want to set a precedent with these guidelines and eventually seek legislation."

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It's a big boost from AI voice acting, after Amazon Prime Video made it possible to introduce the English dub of Banana Fish anime in 2025 with AI. The decision caused so much backlash that the streamer eventually removed it, but many fans felt that the fact that it was included at all did not bode well for the future of the industry.

Virginia (she) is the news editor for IGN. With ten years of experience reporting on games and entertainment, he has a background in the fighting game community, influencer news, and viral online trends. Find her on Twitter at @TheeMissGlaze.