It looks like things are not settling down for Takahiro Sakurai any time soon. Last year, the anime industry was rocked when reports confirmed the veteran voice actor was embroiled in a decade-long cheating scandal. Now, it seems another anime has dropped Sakurai from its cast, and fans are curious whether this exit will be the last to come.
Videos by ComicBook.com
The update comes from Japan as the team behind the upcoming Mononoke movie confirmed Sakurai is leaving the feature. The movie will be postponed overall because major dubbing is needed now that Sakurai has left the project. The actor was cast as the protagonist of the film, so you can see why the delay was needed here.
This exit marks the second Sakura has taken on since being outed in an affair. The first anime to part ways with the actor was Ayaka: The Story of Bonds and Wounds. The series cut ties with Sakurai earlier this year. And of course, the actor’s radio show that helped him facilitate his affair dropped Sakurai ages ago.
If you are not familiar with the scandal regarding Sakurai, you should know the ordeal came to light in October 2022. It was then a newspaper reported Sakurai was involved in an affair with a writer on his hit radio program, P.S. Genki Desu: Takahiro. The relationship was said to have started in 2013 despite Sakurai being married, and the affair continued for nearly a decade. Since the actor’s affair was outed, Sakurai has faced intense scrutiny from fans and the public as well as casting directors in the anime industry. And with Jujutsu Kaisen season two months away, all eyes are on Studio MAPPA to see how this scandal may impact its cast if at all.
What do you make of this scandal to date? Do you think Geto’s VA will be replaced in Jujutsu Kaisen? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.
