This is an interview with Masako Nozawa, the voice of Goku in the Japanese Dragon Ball. The interview is dated October 27th, 1997.

What did it feel like acting as 'Goku' for the past 12 years?
Masako Nozawa: To me, I don't think the last 12 years have ended yet. DragonBall and Goku are still a part of my life and will forever be a part of my life. We will live together, and move on together. This is an extrodinary powerful feeling and it will forever stay in my heart. Thinking about it now, 12 years sure went away quickly.

The night before your last DragonBall GT recording session, what kind of feeling did you have inside? Was it an 'empty' sort of feeling?
Masako Nozawa: I didn't want to face the fact that DragonBall has ended. Since I have been doing the voice recording every week for the last 12 years, it does take a bit of time to adjust to the changes. The night before the last recording session, I did have an empty, bitter feeling. Also extremely depressed. However I asked myself, if I go to the recording studio all depressed, wouldn't Goku be feeling depressed as well? Hence, I tried to stay happy, but the lonely and empty feel were still there.

In the final DragonBall GT scene, which part was the most memorable?
Masako Nozawa: When the final battle has ended, Goku climbed up the back of Shenlong and said "I love the warmth and the comfort on the back of Shenlong..."

Even though the whole DragonBall is officially over, but new animes come out every year. Have you ever considered joining with another anime studio and start a new career?
Masako Nozawa: Yeah true. TOEI Animation's producer has already told me "Don't even think about once a year, I am thinking of releasing a new anime every season!" However, the fact is that I am not yet sure what I will do after DragonBall, I guess we will just have to wait and see (smiles).

You have played Goku since he was a kid, and you play him all the way until he gets to Super Saiya-Jin 4. I am sure you have seen Goku in many different ways, but which sort of Goku did you like the best?
Masako Nozawa: Um...this is certainly a hard question to answer (smiles). I still find Goku with a tail the most attractive and the cutest. Even though Goku has grown from a kid to an adult, but his personality, and his inner-self has never changed. Thus, there isn't really a specific part I like about Goku, I like Goku as a whole.

Apart from Goku, is there another DragonBall character you like as well?
Masako Nozawa: Ermm...this is also a hard question (smiles). I like Piccolo. I used to hate him in the beginning because he was all mean and cruel, but then as he became a good guy, I started to like him more and more as well.

Which part of Goku in DragonBall did you find most memorable?
Masako Nozawa: I think for me the part I find the most memorable is when Goku infiltrated the Red Army defence, he took a break and released himself in the toliet, a soldier fired through the toliet door and shot Goku from behind. When I saw the scene, I said to myself "Poor Goku, is he alright?" Behind the bullet-hole filled door, heard Goku yelled out "Arrr! It hurts! It hurts!" I thought this part wasn't just the most memorable, but it also showed Goku's cute and innocent personality.

Do people know that you are the person behind Goku (as in the person who does the voice)?
Masako Nozawa: Yeah, of course. Actually, I remember once when I was on the monorail on my way back home, there was a young married couple with their son sitting opposite me. They greeted me and told me that their son is a huge fan of Goku and they asked me if I could say Goku's famous line "Kamehameha" for their son. I thought about it and said to myself, if I did do a "Kamehameha", I might scared all the people on the monorail, and it might give the others a bad impression of Goku. I had to refuse at the end, and the child was a little disappointed.

Apart from kids and teenagers, do you know any other people also watch DragonBall?
Masako Nozawa: I have received a letter from an elderly lady and in her letter she wrote she loves watching DragonBall with her grandchildren. She wrote that she never misses an episode. So I guess DragonBall isn't just for kids and teenagers afterall!

Have you ever had any regrets of doing the voice of Goku?
Masako Nozawa: Absolutely not!

What was the atmosphere like in the recording studio?
Masako Nozawa: It was just great. The people I work with for so long, instead of calling them by their real names, I just refer them with the corresponding DragonBall character's name. It was just great working with such a wonderful team of people.

Any last words for the DragonBall fans before we end the interview?
Masako Nozawa: I like to say thank you to all the DragonBall fans around the world. Please do not think as if DragonBall has finished and Goku will not be back again. I believe Goku will be back. I know that one day, doesn't matter how long I have to wait, but I know Goku will be back with us again.

  Cool. This interview is definately worth the space it takes up. I would like to say that this is a first class conversation that I feel lucky to have heard. Also, indeed, Goku is back, in Dragon Ball AF which is now being aired in Japan.