Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Masako Nozawa, the Japanese voice actor who has played Son Goku since Dragon Ball debuted in 1986, has condemned AI-generated videos that imitate her voice without permission. In comments attributed to an NHK interview and reported by Dexerto on October 15, 2026, Nozawa called the practice “unforgivable,” compared it with theft and said an exact technical copy still lacks the emotional intent of a human performance.
Nozawa, 89 according to the report, is not rejecting every possible use of artificial intelligence. Her objection is to copying a performer’s voice without consent, control over how it is used or appropriate compensation.
What Masako Nozawa said about AI voice videos
Dexerto’s October 15, 2026 report attributes Nozawa’s remarks to an NHK interview. The English wording was translated and shared by Dragon Ball Hype. Nozawa focused on two separate problems: unauthorized use of her vocal identity and the absence of human feeling in an imitation.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems“It has no heart,” she said, according to the translation. “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.”
#1 Best Overall
Sale
Dragon Stars Series - Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero - Goku, 6.5" Action Figure
- Recreate your favorite battles - with 20 plus points of articulation, these action figures can be posed in endless ways and even stand on their own. Imagine being in the world of Dragon Ball and battling iconic foes as Goku, or any character of your choice. Endless ways to play and display with Dragon Ball Dragon Stars figures
- Looks just like the show - Dragon Stars figures have detailed deco and sculpting to make sure each figure come to life in your hands, and look just like your favorite characters in the anime.
- More than just the figure - every figure comes with character specific accessories and 2 sets of interchangeable hands, perfect for different poses, battles, and staged scenes
- Collectible Package - anime inspired packaging that looks as good on your shelf as the figures do in your hands
- Collect them all - with over 70 characters to choose from in the Dragon Stars line, there are endless amounts of fight scenes to recreate and power ups to achieve. More figures added every year.
She was equally direct about permission: “This is not my voice. Using it without permission is unforgivable. It’s the same as theft, and it makes me angry.”
Those comments do not amount to a blanket rejection of AI. The report describes Nozawa as supportive of AI’s potential when its use respects performers’ rights. Her criticism is aimed at systems or videos that reproduce a recognizable performer without authorization.
Why the distinction between a copy and a performance matters
A voice-cloning model can reproduce vocal characteristics such as pitch, cadence and pronunciation. Nozawa’s point is that those measurable traits are only part of acting. A performed line also reflects timing, breath, intention and the emotional choices made for a particular scene.
Rank #2
- S.H.Figuarts presents a newly sculpted Son Goku wearing his Cell Saga outfit from Dragon Ball Z!
- Faithfully recreated with meticulous attention to detail, capturing the proportions, hair volume, and various expressions from the original anime artwork. Features the enhanced articulation structure refined through the S.H.Figuarts Dragon Ball series, including the “Dynamic-Movable Shoulder System” (patent pending) specifically for the shoulders!"
- New sculpting achieving both visual accuracy and articulation are incorporated in areas like chest, shoulders, and stomach. An alternate head part depicting his hair blowing in the wind is included!. Alongside flexible articulation for recreating battle scenes, three interchangeable expression parts are included: “Smirking face”, “Grimacing face”, and “Screaming face,” enabling the recreation of various scenes
- [Set Contents] Main body, Optional hand parts (L/R) x 5, Facial expression parts x 3, Optional head part
- The product box will have a Bandai Namco warning label, which is proof that you are purchasing an officially licensed product
Her example of crying highlights the difference. Two recordings may contain the same words and similar acoustic details, yet the emotional meaning can change depending on why and how the actor delivers them. A generated track can resemble the sound of a performance while lacking the performer’s deliberate interpretation.
That distinction is especially significant for Goku, a role Nozawa has sustained across decades of Japanese Dragon Ball productions. Her long association with the character means an imitation can be recognizable even when viewers are not told that it was generated.
What Japan Actors Union’s 2026 guideline requires
On October 15, 2026, Japan Actors Union announced its “Guideline for the Use of Generative AI Concerning Voices.” The union says it represents approximately 2,600 actors and voice performers. The guideline treats an AI-generated voice as a new form of the performer’s work rather than as a consequence-free reuse of an old recording.
Rank #3
- Dragon Ball Evolve delivers a high-quality figure created to look exactly like your favorite character from the popular anime series, Dragon Ball Super
- Each character in the Evolve series is approximately 5 inches tall with 27 points of articulation!
- Dragon Ball Super Evolve figures are so authentic and realistic you can recreate the epic battles and favorite moments from the anime
- Look for more characters from the Evolve series and grow your collection
- Ages 4+
Permission before training or input
A performer’s permission is required before recordings or other voice data are supplied to an AI system for learning or input. A license to use an existing performance does not automatically authorize that data to train a model.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Permission for voice generation
Consent is also required when the system generates new speech in the performer’s vocal likeness. This covers the act of producing the synthetic voice, not just the later video, game, advertisement or other project in which it may appear.
Permission before publication or other use
The final stage—publishing, distributing or otherwise using the generated output—requires permission as well. A creator therefore cannot treat approval at one stage as approval for every later use.
Rank #4
- From Dragon Ball Super, Super Saiyan God Son Goku joins S.H.Figuarts with an all-new sculpt!
- Realized with a brand-new sculpt that pays meticulous attention to proportions, facial expressions, and fine details
- Incorporates newly engineered articulation developed for the S.H.Figuarts Dragon Ball series—particularly adopting the Dynamic-Movable Shoulder System (patent pending) for the shoulders
- [Set Contents] Main body, 4 interchangeable hand parts (left and right), 3 interchangeable facial parts, Interchangeable head parts
- The product box will have a Bandai Namco warning label, which is proof that you are purchasing an officially licensed product
Compensation and data control
The guideline calls for appropriate compensation and gives performers a basis for controlling how their voice data and generated outputs are handled. ITmedia reports that its framework centers on advance notice and consent, data control and fair payment.
Limits on blanket consent
ITmedia describes the guideline as nonbinding and reports that blanket advance consent is not accepted. Consent is generally limited to one year, making the intended use, duration and renewal terms important parts of any agreement.
Recommended Free Tools
| AI voice lifecycle stage | What the guideline calls for |
|---|---|
| Learning or input | Advance permission before a performer’s voice data is used by an AI system. |
| Generation | Separate permission to create new speech that imitates the performer. |
| Publication or use | Permission before the generated material is released, distributed or used in a project. |
| Commercial terms | Appropriate compensation, data control and a defined consent period rather than unlimited blanket approval. |
The guideline is an industry standard, not a statute
Japan Actors Union presents the guideline as a response to a legal gap in Japan and as a way for performers to prevent uses that conflict with their image or beliefs. Because it is nonbinding, it does not by itself create a criminal penalty or automatically decide every dispute. Its practical force comes from setting a consent and licensing standard that productions can adopt in contracts.
Best Value
- Evolve – Dragon Ball Super: Son Goku action figure stands at approximately 5” tall with 27 points of articulation allowing infinite posing and display options
- The figure was created with exceptional details to look exactly like the characters in the popular anime series, Dragon Ball Super
- Recreate iconic scenes from the anime
- Look for more characters from the Evolve series and grow your collection For Ages 4 plus
For creators, the safest reading is procedural: identify whose voice is being replicated, obtain permission for each lifecycle stage, specify where the output can appear, set a time limit and agree on payment and data handling before generating anything.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A separate Tokyo court case points to wider legal change
The Associated Press reported that a Tokyo District Court decision dated October 1, 2026 recognized legal protection for a human voice in a case brought by actor Kenjiro Tsuda. The dispute concerned an unauthorized AI clone used on TikTok. It is separate from Nozawa’s comments and does not turn the union guideline into law, but it shows that voice identity is becoming an active legal issue in Japan.
Together, the court decision and the union’s guidance indicate two different developments: courts may recognize protectable interests in a person’s voice, while the industry is also defining consent and payment practices for generative systems.
Human performance and an AI replica: the issues creators must address
| Issue | Human performance | AI replica |
|---|---|---|
| Consent | The performer chooses whether and how to record. | Use should be authorized at learning, generation and publication stages. |
| Emotional intent | Breath, timing and interpretation are chosen for the scene. | A model can reproduce vocal patterns without sharing the actor’s intent. |
| Control | The actor can negotiate the role and context. | Contracts need to define where, how and for how long a generated voice may appear. |
| Compensation | Payment is negotiated for the acting work. | The union guideline treats generated voice use as new work requiring appropriate compensation. |
| Enforceability | Contract terms provide a direct remedy. | The union guideline is nonbinding, while court decisions may establish protection in particular cases. |
What this means for fans and video makers
Fans may encounter convincing clips that sound like Goku but are not recordings approved by Nozawa or an authorized production. A familiar voice is not proof that the performer participated. Labels, credits and permission records matter when a synthetic voice is used publicly.
For video makers, imitating a famous character does not remove the need to consider the real performer behind the voice. The Japan Actors Union framework makes the order of operations clear: secure consent before supplying voice data, before generating speech and before publishing the result, with compensation, data handling and a limited term written into the agreement.
Who voices Goku in Japanese?
Masako Nozawa is the long-running Japanese voice of Son Goku. She began voicing the character when Dragon Ball debuted in 1986 and has continued in the role across the franchise’s subsequent animated work. Her 2026 comments are therefore both a personal objection to unauthorized cloning and a high-profile statement from one of Japan’s most identifiable voice performers.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
