Nathan Johnson, recently elected as the new attorney general of Texas, has a notable past in the entertainment industry as a composer for 67 episodes and five movies of Dragon Ball Z's English dub. Johnson, who won the election as a Democratic candidate in a state that has historically favored Republicans, shared his experience working on the anime in a Facebook post earlier this year.
He described the opportunity as a unique creative outlet and a way to connect with a popular cultural phenomenon, even recalling his young child's excitement at recognizing his work. Johnson explained that he initially pursued a law degree but put his legal career on hold to focus on music. His entry into anime composition came through an unexpected encounter with Robert Cocanaugher, a co-founder of Funimation, who was the landlord of a property Johnson was looking to rent. This led to him becoming the second and final composer for Funimation's in-house English dub of Dragon Ball Z before the company's music division was dissolved.
Johnson's background is reminiscent of other political candidates with ties to the gaming industry. Notably, Marty O'Donnell, who composed music for the Halo and Destiny games, was also in the news following his election loss, with his opponent humorously referencing a popular Halo-themed Vine.