Who really is the definitive Son Goku?

[DBZAOTA482]

There's a debate on who is the best voice for Goku (usually between Masako Nozawa and Sean Schemmel) but objectively speaking, who really embodies Goku?

Masako Nozawa

First up... is a straight OG and has been in the game ever since Astro Boy. She may get hate from American/English fans (mostly those used to the FUNimation dub) but she's beloved all over Asia for her iconic Goku screams and her portrayal of Goku brings out that happy-go-lucky hillbilly manchild but still effective as a serious Goku. She's one of the prolific seiyuu across Japan and plus points for Toriyama choosing her as the voice of Goku.

Sean Schemmel

Now onto big daddy Shawn... no, I mean Sean. He's inarguably the most popular English voice of Goku but like most of the FUNimation cast, he comes from very humble beginnings which reflected on his original output as he sounds like an emotionless robot for most of Z even though FUNi dub fanboys swear he was good. He did become worthy of any real praise as his work improved immensely over time after he found his own identity but it seems his ego also grew as his fame grew. Can't even take criticism from nobodies.

Here's him beefing with a lowly user called penguintruth:

https://otakurevolution.com/content/sean-schemmel-strikes-how-i-pissed-off-goku

He also doesn't seem to like or even respect the wife of Goku... Chi-Chi, at all. You may remember the East-West Panel where he jokingly replied Chi-Chi is a bitch... innocent enough but he suggests that Goku himself doesn't really like Chi-Chi. Saying stuff along the lines of "hahaha never mind you can have her. My wife is a bitch anyway haha!”

Mario Castañeda

Now this is an interesting entry to this contest. His best known role is teen/adult Goku and he is considered one of the best voice actors from Mexico, where Dragon Ball is practically religion (along with other Latin American regions). He also made a statement surprising many that one of his favorite characters is Chi-Chi and he actually defended her against the haters.... even with the infamous "no kiss" joke from Episode 60 of Super.

Now who is the real Goku... the veteran who Toriyama himself hand-picked, the overrated VA who's acts like a bitch nigga (how ironic), or the hero to many across a relatively underprivileged society?

 

[Let's Go Fearless!]

I grew up watching Goku from Funimation where he always will be Sean Schemmel to me. Still his transformation into SSjin3 against Janemba is the greatest moment where he screamed in the entire time IMO. Anyway who doesn't get pissed off when someone criticised your work? I would be pissed off as well and it's true that there will always be a haters who tries to discredit your work.

The only positive I can tell about Jap Goku is the well pacing voice acting that's all but the voices still sucks IMO.

 

[Fantastische Hure]

Only the original. The original fits Goku perfectly. It's not over-done, trying to sound too tough or any of that shit. Just sounds Goku.

 

[Flame]

Sean fits the best for me and seems to bring out more seriousness to Goku, there's definitely plenty of silliness, but he's not as annoying or at all. It's what I grew up with, so of course I'm biased, but he really does do an incredible job. Nozawa can be annoying for Goku imo, it's just not the same. Mario is better than Nozawa as well imo.