Before becoming the unmistakable voice of Piccolo inDragon Ball, Toshio Furukawa faced a moment of self-doubt early in his career. After being cast as Ataru Moroboshi in the anime adaptation ofUrusei Yatsura, he faced an overwhelming wave of backlash from fans who deemed his voice unfitting for the character.
The criticism nearly drove Furukawa to leave the industry altogether. With the future of his career uncertain, Furukawa felt overwhelmed by rejection and negativity until one moment changed everything, allowing him to continue working pastUrusei Yatsuraand eventually become one of the most well-known voice actors.
Piccolo’s Voice Actor Almost Quit the Industry
Fans Believed Furukawa Didn’t Fit Ataru Moroboshi
Urusei Yatsurapremiered in 1981, five years beforeDragon Ball. The anime is a sci-fi romantic comedy about an unlucky high schooler, Ataru Moroboshi, and an alien princess, Lum. Toshio Furukawa took on the lead role, but shortly after starting, he faced a challenge that nearly ended his voice acting career.
In a post on X, he shared that fans of the manga disapproved of his voice, claiming he didn’t fit the character. The backlash was so intense that the “TV station was flooded with complaint letters.” Furukawa was crushed and shared his immediate thoughts following the disheartening response from fans before the series' creator, Rumiko Takashi, praised his performance.
“I was so down and thought to myself that if I got dropped from this role, I might quit the industry altogether. I’m truly and endlessly grateful to sound director Shigeji Suwa who cast me and to creator Rumiko Takahashi.” -Toshio Furukawa
Urusei Yatsurawas not the beginning of Furukawa’s voice acting career, but it was the moment that he began to find his footing. Luckily,Rumiko Takahashi, who also created hit seriesInuyashaandRanma 1/2, voiced her appreciation, helping to shift public opinion. Soon after, praise from fans replaced criticism, and positive fan letters started rolling in.
Thanks to Inuyasha’s Creator, Furukawa Continued in His Career
Toshio Furukawa Took on Many Iconic Roles
Rumiko Takahashi’s early public support proved vital for Furukawa’s career. When both criticism and self-doubt began to take their toll,her public endorsement of his portrayal as Ataru Moroboshi offered Furukawa himself and fans a much-needed second chance.Her influence not only secured his role inUrusei Yatsurabut also restored his confidence.
From that point onward, Furukawa’s career continued to rise. Within a few years, he was cast asPiccolo, one of the most iconic roles in anime history, earning him worldwide recognition.BeyondDragon Ball, he has also voiced a variety of popular characters, including Portgas D. Ace inOne Piece, Hantengu inDemon Slayer, and Misao Yamamura inDetective Conan.
Over the years, Furukawa’s voice became one of the most recognizable in anime, but it might never have happened if Takahashi hadn’t quickly stepped in to support and praise her. Her endorsement saved his career and boosted his confidence, allowing him to continue developing his talents with other series, includingDragon Ball.
Dragon Ball
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
Urusei Yatsura
Cast
Urusei Yatsura is a Japanese anime series based on the manga by Rumiko Takahashi. It follows the story of high school student Ataru Moroboshi, whose life changes dramatically when he inadvertently becomes engaged to an alien princess named Lum. The show explores the comical and chaotic events that ensue from their unlikely relationship, blending humor with elements of science fiction and romance.
