An official interview with the two lead voice actors of Dragon Ball Super: Birus has been released — Nozawa Masako, the voice of Son Goku, and Yamadera Koichi, the voice of the God of Destruction Beerus. The pair discussed their initial reactions to the project, their approaches to their respective roles, and their enduring love for the Dragon Ball franchise.

About the Series

Dragon Ball Super: Birus is an enhanced version of the anime Dragon Ball Super, rebuilt with a significant number of newly added and redrawn cuts. The production aims to push the intensity of battle scenes further through contemporary animation techniques, while staying true to the source material. The original story, characters, and designs are by Toriyama Akira.

First Reactions to the Project

Nozawa said she always feels a surge of excitement whenever a new series is announced — because she is always in Goku’s mindset, the prospect of Beerus and new characters returning again made her genuinely happy.

Yamadera admitted he was surprised at first. After voicing Beerus in Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods and then throughout Dragon Ball Super, he never expected a series bearing Beerus’s name. He described it as an unexpected reward. He was even more surprised to learn there would be no new recording sessions — the team would craft something new entirely from audio already captured. “Lucky,” he laughed.

Genki Dama Matsuri Reveal Event

The series was first announced at Genki Dama Matsuri in January 2026. Yamadera recalled the crowd’s excitement, noting it was his first time appearing at a Dragon Ball event. He said what matters most now is hearing from fans that the finished work was worth making.

Voicing a Goku Who Never Stops Getting Stronger

When asked how she approaches a Goku who keeps surpassing his own limits, Nozawa said she simply doesn’t think about it in advance. She walks into the studio, looks at the picture, and becomes Goku — or Gohan, or Goten — naturally and instinctively.

Yamadera playfully pressed her: every time she gives everything she has, the staff comes back later and says Goku is going to get even stronger. Doesn’t that frustrate her? Nozawa’s answer was immediate: “Not at all. OK, let’s do it.“

Yamadera marveled that anyone else would have complained long ago. Nozawa added that she has noticed one physical tell: the stance she takes when voicing the Kamehameha has naturally widened over the years. Early on, her feet were barely half a step apart; as Goku grew stronger, her stance grew wider without her consciously deciding to change it.

Yamadera concluded that no one else in the history of humanity could do what Nozawa Masako does.

Voicing Beerus

Yamadera said the director and staff asked him to bring out multiple facets of Beerus — not just an intimidating God of Destruction, but also a charming, playful side. The challenge was making those contrasts feel like they belonged to one coherent person rather than a performance trick. He also admitted the early sessions were difficult, because he never wanted to do a disservice to a character created by Toriyama.

Tips for a More Powerful Kamehameha

Nozawa’s advice: it’s all about the target. You’re not just shouting into empty air — you have to vividly imagine what you’re aiming at and that you intend to obliterate it. The more concrete the mental image, the more power comes through.

Messages to Dragon Ball Fans

Yamadera called the series a dream come true, and invited both longtime fans and first-time viewers to enjoy it — and perhaps go back and explore earlier entries in the franchise. He also extended a personal invitation to fans abroad: if you spot him while he’s traveling, call out “Beerus!” He said he has an ambition to grow the Beerus fanbase worldwide.

Nozawa said Dragon Ball is simply her favorite work, because every character — even the villains — has something lovable about them. She closed with a conviction she clearly holds deeply: “Dragon Ball is eternal.” Yamadera agreed, adding that Goku’s unbreakable forward-facing spirit has energized countless people over the years, and he hopes this new series will do the same.

Broadcast Information

• Title: Dragon Ball Super: Birus
• Broadcast: Sunday, October 11, 23:15 JST on Fuji TV (nationwide)
• Streaming: Prime Video and U-NEXT (simulcast)
• Original Story / Character Design: Toriyama Akira
• Direction / Series Composition: Seya Motohito
• Animation Character Design / Chief Animation Director: Yamamuro Naoyoshi
• Editing: Nishimura Eichi
• Photography Director: Motoki Yosuke
• Music: Sumitomo Norihito