Anime Voice Actors Who Were Fired and Replaced Following Personal Scandals

Personal scandals within the voice acting industry often lead to swift production changes to protect the reputation of major franchises. Whether due to legal issues, controversial public statements, or breaches of interpersonal ethics, these incidents frequently result in the immediate removal and recasting of popular characters. The following list identifies several voice actors who were officially fired or replaced after their involvement in high-profile scandals.

Toru Furuya

Toru Furuya was a legendary figure in the industry until a 2024 scandal involving a long-term affair with a fan came to light. The veteran actor admitted to the relationship, which included allegations of physical violence and a forced abortion. Consequently, he was removed from his high-profile roles as Sabo in ‘One Piece’ and Toru Amuro in the ‘Detective Conan’ franchise. Furuya also stepped down from upcoming projects like the video game ‘Metaphor: ReFantazio’ to mitigate the damage to these long-running series.

Takahiro Sakurai

Takahiro Sakurai faced massive industry repercussions in 2022 after reports emerged that he had been engaged in a 10-year extramarital affair. The scandal deepened when it was revealed that the woman involved was a writer for his radio show who was unaware of his marital status. While he retained some roles, he was notably replaced as the lead character in the ‘Mononoke’ film and as Haruaki Kurama in the anime ‘Ayaka’. His agency contract was also terminated as a direct result of the public backlash surrounding his personal conduct.

Tatsuhisa Suzuki

Tatsuhisa Suzuki’s career was derailed in 2021 after Japanese tabloids exposed his affair with a fan, which reportedly involved him inviting the individual to his home while his wife, singer LiSA, was away. The scandal was further aggravated by allegations that he leaked unreleased music to the woman, breaching professional confidentiality. Suzuki was subsequently replaced as Ken ‘Draken’ Ryuguji in ‘Tokyo Revengers’ and Anos Voldigoad in ‘The Misfit of Demon King Academy’. He also lost his role as Kibana in ‘Pokemon Journeys’ during his temporary hiatus from the industry.

Vic Mignogna

Vic Mignogna, a prominent English dub actor, was central to a major industry controversy in 2019 following numerous allegations of sexual harassment and unwanted advances toward fans. After internal investigations by production companies, he was officially removed from his role as Qrow Branwen in ‘RWBY’ and Broly in the ‘Dragon Ball’ franchise. The situation led to a series of legal battles and a significant divide within the anime community. Since the dismissal, he has not returned to mainstream dubbing roles for major Western distributors.

Ai Kayano

Ai Kayano was embroiled in a massive political scandal in 2021 after she posted on social media about visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, a site controversial for its ties to Japanese militarism. The post sparked intense backlash in China, leading many Chinese-developed games and media to remove her voice acting. She was replaced as Platinum in ‘Arknights’ and saw her roles in ‘Azur Lane’ and ‘Girls’ Frontline’ scrubbed or recast in specific regions. While she remains active in Japan, the incident severely impacted her presence in international collaborations.

Emi Nitta

Emi Nitta, best known as the voice of Honoka Kosaka in ‘Love Live!’, faced a career crisis in 2016 due to tabloid rumors regarding her past personal life. While the allegations were never fully substantiated and she remained part of the ‘Love Live!’ franchise, she was replaced in other active projects. Most notably, she was recast in the role of Tokoha Anjou in ‘Cardfight!! Vanguard G: NEXT’. The production team cited “various circumstances” for the change, a common industry euphemism for scandal-related pressure.

Yurika Ochiai

Yurika Ochiai, who now goes by the name Yurika Hase, was the original voice of Yukiho Hagiwara in ‘The Idolmaster’ franchise. Her departure from the series in 2010 followed years of personal drama, including public disputes with fans and reports of mental distress. While not a singular “firing” event, the production team replaced her with Azumi Asakura to ensure the long-term stability of the idol group. The replacement was one of the earliest examples of a major “moe” character being recast due to the voice actor’s personal instability.

Makoto Naruse

Makoto Naruse was a Japanese voice actor known for his work in series like ‘The Prince of Tennis’ and ‘D.Gray-man’. In 2018, Naruse was arrested by Japanese authorities for trespassing after he was found entering a woman’s apartment without permission. The legal incident led to his immediate removal from ongoing media projects related to ‘The Prince of Tennis’ franchise. His talent agency moved to dissolve their relationship with him shortly after the details of the arrest became public.

Kazunari Tanaka

Kazunari Tanaka was a respected veteran, but his role as Keishin Ukai in ‘Haikyu!!’ had to be filled by Hisao Egawa following his sudden passing, which was initially surrounded by complex health-related privacy concerns. While not a scandal in the traditional sense, the suddenness of his absence required an immediate production shift mid-season. The replacement was handled with care, but it highlighted the precarious nature of ongoing anime productions when a lead actor is suddenly unavailable.

Kaori Ishihara

Kaori Ishihara, along with her duo partner Yui Ogura, was replaced in the series ‘High School DxD’ starting with the third season. The replacement occurred following a highly publicized dispute and eventual split from their management agency, Sigma Seven. The friction between the agency and the production committee was viewed as a professional scandal that necessitated a complete recasting of their roles. Both actors were replaced by new talent to avoid the ongoing legal and administrative complications associated with their former representation.

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