Gainax Executive Arrested Over Sexual Harassment Allegations

Tomohiro Maki, the acting representative director of Gainax, has been arrested in Japan. The 50-year-old executive was taken into custody by police on Thursday after he allegedly harassed one of the studio’s up-and-coming voice actresses.

According to the reports, Maki managed voice talent for Gainax and oversaw an unnamed actress who signed a contract with a production company managed by the suspect. The woman says she was in her late-teens when she met Maki for the first time and alleges he sexually harassed her four times at her dormitory.

The arrest report says Maki is accused of taking naked photos of the victim “to prepare her for photoshoots in the entertainment industry.” The Gainax executive is also accused to touching the woman inappropriately and covering it up as a massage due to her swollen feet.

Currently, Maki denies the allegations against him. The executive says he only took the nude photographs “after being asked to” in February.

For those unaware of Maki, the executive has a long history with the studio. He was made a representative director back in October, but he has been with Gainax since 2015.

Of course, fans are admittedly horrified over this report. Gainax may not be a household name for some, but it has a slew of iconic series under its belt. Gainax helped bring Neon Genesis Evangelion to life as well as Gurren Lagann and FLCL. However, the company did have a public falling out with Hideaki Anno, the creator of Evangelion. The director left Gainax back in 2007 to found his own company Studio Khara which has since released a statement distancing itself from Gainax and this upsetting arrest.

What do you make of this recent report? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!

HT: ANN