Dragon Ball Super Broly", the most talked-about movie this winter, is amazing in its battles and storyline! Interview with Masako Nozawa as Son Goku, who never gets tired of screaming!

The latest theatrical "Dragon Ball" film, "Dragon Ball Super (Super) Broly," which the whole world has been waiting for, will finally be released nationwide on December 14, 2018.

This new film is the 20th commemorative film of the theatrical "Dragon Ball" series. The director is Tatsuya Nagamine, who was the series director for the TV series "Dragon Ball Super" and also directed "One Piece Film Z". The animation director is up-and-coming Naohiro Shintani. The art director is Kazuo Ogura of Kusanagi, who has worked on numerous animation backgrounds.

The highlight of the film is the appearance of "Broly," loved by "Dragon Ball" fans around the world as the strongest Saiyan, in a new setting. The film is also packed with topics such as the story that depicts the "after" of the TV series "Dragon Ball Super" and the battle scenes that are depicted in the strongest quality in the series! The end of the year 2018 is sure to be a hot and exciting time.

We interviewed voice actress Masako Nozawa, who plays the main character, Son Goku! She told us a lot of behind-the-scenes stories about the postrecording of this work.

I was betrayed this time! In a good way!

--This time, the enemy is Broly, who appears for the fourth time in 24 years.

Nozawa: I'm really sorry, but I don't remember what I did before.

--Did you feel like you faced Broly with a fresh mind?

Nozawa That's right. I have the video itself, so I could just watch it. But this time, I didn't dare rewatch it. It would be fresher to meet him without remembering him, wouldn't it? If you have a preconceived notion of what kind of a guy Broly was before, or how bad he was, the nuances of the dialogue when the characters meet for the first time will change.

--What was your impression of Broly when you fought him again?

Nozawa: I thought he was not a bad guy at heart. There are guys who are truly bad sometimes. But this time he is different.

--The battle scenes, which are the best in the series, are also a highlight.

Nozawa Isn't it amazing?　The previous films are great, but this one is even better.

--I felt like I was on a roller coaster the whole time. The pictures are getting smoother and smoother as the series goes on. Has your performance changed with the change in direction?

Nozawa: Yes, I have. （If you compare the first film and this one, I think they are completely different.

--I think the highlight of the battle scene is the scene where he shoots the Kamehameha wave. Do you get into the scene when you shout out the technique?

Nozawa: Yes, I do. In a long animated film like this one, you don't just fire one shot, but several times. But this time, actually, it's just one shot. That's why I think it's great. I've done a lot of films in the past, and I can usually tell when something like this is going to happen, but this time I was betrayed. In a good way. I see! I see... I knew it was going to be like this.

--How did you feel about the battle scene?

Nozawa: I honestly felt like, "You can't do that! I was like, "You can't do that! I don't think Goku feels "hatred" toward any opponent. He is a man who wants peace. He fights because he thinks, "If I do that, I'll cause trouble for everyone, so no! So, no!" He fights with the thought, "If I do that, it will be a problem for everyone, so I will beat them head on! I don't think they are like, "I'm going to beat them over the head. It's not like, "Why can't you understand that? You're an adult! That's not right, that's wrong." That's always in Goku's head, and he fights to make people understand that. If he didn't, I think he would have beaten him to a pulp, because Goku is so strong (laughs).

(laughs) -- That's true. Goku basically fights back after being attacked once, right?

Nozawa That's right. That's why Masako Nozawa herself sometimes feels frustrated. She says, "Why don't you just do it! (laughs). (laughs) But Goku is not like that.

--Frieza is also a major character in this film, and he is still a "bad guy.

Nozawa: For my part, I thought that Frieza had come to understand many things and was "on our side. Goku is a character like that, so I didn't really hate him.

The key word in this drama is "father and son!

--In the beginning of the drama, you also played the role of Bardach.

Nozawa: You also played the mother (Guinée), didn't you?　That was also a surprise. It was the first time in an anime.

--I was very moved by your performance as Bardach's father. Has it been a long time since you played Bardach?

Nozawa: It has been a while. I don't often play the role of a father.

--In this film, there was a strong "fatherly" quality that has not been seen in Bardach in the past.

Nozawa: I could play that part naturally. When any man becomes a father, his fatherly side comes out at any moment, even if he is a bad guy. Even if he is a bad guy. Everyone has a part like that. When I see that in him, I think he is a human being.

--Until I saw this movie, I thought Goku was sent to earth without knowing his father's love for him, but I was moved by the fact that he was actually loved by his father. There is an element of family bonding in this film, isn't there?

Nozawa: Yes, there is. The impressions you have when you are a child do not disappear even when you grow up. So, if a fatherly act was done for you in a moment, the memory of that act will remain even after you grow up. I am sure that somewhere in Goku's mind, the memory of Baduk still remains.

--The contrast between Goku and Broly is a good contrast.

Nozawa: I think so.

--In that sense, Goku's behavior toward Broly is fatherly in a way.

Nozawa That's right. How can I say ......, it is very human, isn't it? I feel that it shows the fundamental human nature, that if you don't have this, you are no good as a human being. I would be happy if you could feel that.

Of course, it wouldn't be "Dragon Ball" without battles, but Mr. Toriyama is the kind of person who makes sure to show Goku's human appeal behind the battles. He is a shy person, so he doesn't overtly say so on the surface. But I think it is characteristic of him to show it in some form or another.

--I think "Dragon Ball" may be a bit mature in terms of Goku's personality and the contrast between fathers and sons.

Nozawa: Yes, there may be some adult themes. But I don't think it is something that children cannot understand. I think children will watch it in their own way and fully understand what they like about it. But I think adults can also be moved by the drama behind the scenes, saying, "Yes, this is what I mean! I think adults will also be moved by the drama behind it. Perhaps it will have a slightly different feel than the previous "Dragon Ball" series.

--I would like to hear the impressions of people of different generations.

Nozawa: I really want parents and children to go see the movie together, and afterwards, I want them to share their impressions with each other. If possible, I would be happy if grandparents could go together and discuss it with the whole family. There are three generations in the movie, including Bardach, Goku, and Goten. We can have something sweet to eat while watching the movie. I recommend "Dragon Ball" for a family gathering.

All of the cast's performances were excellent!

─ ─ You mentioned earlier that the battle scenes are amazing, but from the middle of the movie, the battles are really nonstop, aren't they?

Nozawa: That's right. It was amazing, wasn't it? I thought the whole movie was a battle scene. I was like, "Oh, did I say a line? Did I say a line? I was like, "Oh, did I say a line? But when I rewatched it, I found that I did say some lines (laughs).

─ ─ The battle scene was like riding a roller coaster. Were you yelling the whole time during postrecording?

Nozawa: Yes. I was screaming the whole time. It was amazing. Once we started, I was screaming the whole time.

───Did you feel tired?

Nozawa: I have never felt tired since I became an actor. Maybe I am strange.

─ ─ Really? Then, do you usually take care of your throat?

Nozawa: Actually, I don't really pay attention to anything. But there is something I do every day, 365 days a year. When I take a bath, I put the shower on my mouth and gargle. If I do that, I don't catch a cold. I think it removes the day's dust from my throat.

I also inhale lukewarm water through my nose. Then, I spit it out. Then I feel that the dust in my nose has been removed.

That's what I've been doing for a long time. That may be the secret of Goku's strength (laughs). I'm sure everyone else takes much better care of their skin, but I'm fine with that level of care. ...... Like a Saiyan? (Laughs)

(Laughs.) Anyone can do it, but if I stopped doing it today, I would lose the point, so I do it at any time of the day. I want to clean off the dust of the day before it's too late, so I do it.

--What did you think of the performances of your co-stars?

Nozawa: Since we have been working together for a long time, I can usually tell from the script what they will do if I say something like this (acting by all the cast members of this film). （I think their performances are very good. It's strange to say "very good" when I'm also in the film, but from a third-party point of view, I thought they all meshed well and the acting was excellent.

--What do you think of the new characters, Chirai played by Nana Mizuki and Remo played by Tomokazu Sugita?

Nozawa: When I record, I get so absorbed in the work that I end up looking at it from Goku's point of view. So it was a fresh feeling to have someone like him come in.

─ ─ The voice of Bulma is played by Aya Kugawa in this film. I felt that Hiromi Tsuru was passing the baton to you.

Nozawa: I am very happy to hear what you just said. We have been working together as regulars for many years, so Hiromi Tsuru remains in everyone's mind. That's why the topic of conversation comes up at any given moment. That is a very good thing. We had been together for a long time, and the way she died was painful. But I said to everyone, "Let's stop here. I said, "I know there are still cranes inside of you," and "She (Ms. Kugawa) accepted it and is doing her best," and everyone else understood.

I think Aya Kugawa is also trying her best to approach the role and join the Dragon Ball family in her own way. From an actor's point of view, it is very difficult. It's not easy for an actor to join a family that has already been established. And it's not just for a couple of years. It's a lot of work to come into a family that has already been established. We welcome them, accept them into the family in a natural way, and hope to be able to put words out in the open.

But good for you, right? I am sure that when we do "Dragon Ball" in the future, it will come into our family successfully. I think it's wonderful.

What was your most memorable scene ......?

─ This is the 20th movie and the 32nd year since the anime started.

Nozawa: The scene that comes to mind is the one where Goku is in the bathroom at Suno's house. Why there? (laughs). (Laughs.) Then the Red Ribbon Army comes in and shoots a gun. Then a hole opens in the tray door, but no one comes out.

And I was like, "Oh my God, is the main character going to die? Then the door opens and Goku comes out of the dark bathroom saying, "Itteki~! Goku comes out of the dark bathroom saying, "Ittekita~!

That scene left a deep impression on me. I love that scene. For a normal person, "ouch" is not enough when he is hit by a bullet. But he comes out of the sky saying "ouch! I thought, "Wow, this girl is amazing. It's my favorite scene.

─ ─ Do you have an image of Dragon Ball as a rather comical work?

Nozawa: Yes, I think so. Goku is very serious. Even when working in the fields, Krillin slacks off, but Goku does it all by himself. I like that kind of thing. Even if the other person is slacking off, you don't tell him to do it. I like that he does it all by himself. Maybe that is similar to me. People are people to me, too. I don't care what other people do, because I think they are responsible for what they do.

But as for what other people say, "This is good," if I think I can do it, I do it. But if I try it and think, "This is something I can't continue," I stop. I don't like to do things halfway if I don't think they will last.

─ ─ Returning to the topic of the movie, even after watching the last scene, I didn't feel that this was the end of "Dragon Ball," and I had the impression that Goku and his adventures were still continuing. For you, what kind of activities would you like to see in the future?

Nozawa: I don't have a specific "what kind of action I want to see. I think it would be good if there was peace, but if someone comes along and disturbs that peace, we have to stand up to him or her, so I am sure there will be more battles in the future. I feel that "Dragon Ball" will continue forever. I think Mr. Toriyama is on board now.

Toriyama-sensei told me that he hears my voice when I draw Goku. I don't know what to do when he told me that that was how he was moving his brush.

─ ─ As you mentioned earlier, I think this work can be enjoyed by parents and children of three generations. In particular, could you give a message to the little ones who came in from "Super"?

Nozawa: As with books, movies, or anything else, I want children to just get into it and enjoy watching it. I hope that there will be one thing left after watching the movie. I don't want to be greedy and say "several". And if even one thing is left after the next film, that number will continue to increase, won't it? And if I can think about doing something like this or doing something like that, I am sure the world will become a better place.

───Now, please give a message to the adult fans who have been supporting your works for many years.

Nozawa There is a word "pure," isn't there? I want adults to keep their hearts pure. I hope they will go to heaven with it.

─ ─ Thank you very much!