Voice actress Masako Nozawa has become the first voice actor to be honoured with Japan’s Persons of Cultural Merit award. The Japanese government grants the title to only 20 individuals per year, recognising those who have contributed to the advancement and development of Japanese culture.
Nozawa is best known for playing Son Goku (Dragon Ball) and Kitaro (Gegege no Kitaro). Notably, she holds the Guinness World Record for “voice actor who voiced the same character in a video game for the longest period” and “longest video game voice acting career,” for her role as Son Goku, who she has voiced for over 35 years.
The Persons of Cultural Merit award ceremony will take place on November 3, where Nozawa will be joined by a number of peers in the Japanese entertainment industry, including mangaka Keiko Takemiya (Toward the Terra, The Door into Summer, Andromeda Stories), actor Min Tanaka (Children of the Sea, Rurouni Kenshin) and playwright Hideki Noda (Kill, Pandora’s Bell).
Other entertainment figures who have received the award in the past include Hayao Miyazaki, who was the first animator to be given the honour in 2012; Nintendo director Shigeru Miyamoto, who was honoured in 2019; and Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino, who received the award in 2021.
