Following the passing of legendary voice actor Kozo Shioya earlier this January—who famously breathed life into Majin Buu across decades of anime, movies, and video games—the Dragon Ball Z franchise has found a new voice for its iconic pink powerhouse. With the shonen series preparing for a major comeback via the upcoming Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods remake and Dragon Ball Super: The Galactic Patrol, a successor has officially stepped into the role.
The transition was introduced in recent downloadable content for Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, which expanded the game with fresh characters and story modes. To fill the vacancy left by Shioya, voice actor Mitsuaki Kanuka has taken over as Majin Buu for the DLC. While Toei Animation has not yet officially confirmed Kanuka for the upcoming anime projects like Dragon Ball Super: Beerus, it is widely anticipated that he will continue voicing the character. Interestingly, Kanuka brings an extensive anime resume to the table, alongside a surprisingly fitting connection to another iconic pink character through his work in American animation.
Bikini Bottom Meets Buu
Kanuka’s impressive career features prominent roles across numerous hit anime, including Rooster Fighter, Clevatess, Digimon, My Hero Academia, The Apothecary Diaries, Overlord, Jujutsu Kaisen, and JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure. However, one of his most amusing credits ties him directly to Buu’s color palette: Kanuka voices Patrick Star in the Japanese dub of Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants. While Patrick may not pose an existential threat to the universe from his home in Bikini Bottom, he shares a distinct visual similarity with Majin Buu.
Although Majin Buu’s presence will be minimal in the upcoming Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods remake—assuming it adheres strictly to the original narrative—recasting the character is essential for the franchise’s future arcs. In Dragon Ball Super: Galactic Patrol, Buu plays a pivotal role in the grueling battle against the ancient sorcerer Moro. Beyond providing physical backup for Goku and Vegeta, Buu is instrumental in uncovering crucial aspects of the villain’s history. Without delving into heavy spoilers, the reformed fan-favorite character takes center stage in a storyline that sheds unexpected light on his own origins. Coupled with artist Toyotaro’s recent teases regarding the Dragon Ball Super manga, it is an exciting time for followers of the Z-Fighters.