Beloved character Onigiri-man from the long-running anime "Anpanman" announced a voice actor change yesterday (May 28). After 36 years in the role, Hisako Kyoda (90) stepped down in April due to her advanced age. Taking over the reins is none other than the legendary Masako Nozawa (88)! This "relay race of veterans" has sparked a huge buzz online, with netizens exclaiming, "Voice actors in their 80s and 90s still on the front lines? That's seriously incredible!"
Masako Nozawa is a "national treasure" in the Japanese anime industry. Her most iconic role, which you'll definitely recognize, is voicing Son Goku in "Dragon Ball" since 1986. She even handles Son Gohan, Son Goten, Bardock, and Turles all by herself! Her decades-long dedication to voice acting earned her a Guinness World Record for "Longest time in the same videogame role."
What makes this voice actor handover particularly wild is the mere two-year age difference! Plus, Masako Nozawa is still incredibly active in the industry, and despite being 88, she remains remarkably spry. She even famously declared, "I want to keep going until I'm 182!" Fans are absolutely stunned by these veteran voice actors, calling them "monster-level talents" and truly "national treasures."
And here's a fun tidbit fans brought up about Masako Nozawa taking over Onigiri-man in "Anpanman": Ryusei Nakao, who voices Baikinman in "Anpanman," is also the voice of "Emperor" Frieza in "Dragon Ball"! This hilarious crossover has fans joking, "Now we can see Goku and Frieza battle it out in Anpanman!"
It's truly admirable how Masako Nozawa maintains her health and passion for voice acting. That's what makes this "90-year-old passing the torch to an 88-year-old" veteran voice actor relay such a hot topic. Who knows, maybe one day you'll be watching "Anpanman" and hear a voice that's both new and strangely familiar, and you'll get a kick out of it!