One Piece star leaves role after admitting to abusive affair with fan

Voice actor Tōru Furuya has vacated his roles in anime franchises One Piece and Detective Conan after confirming he had a four-and-a-half-year-long affair with a fan.

Tōru made a joint announcement with talent agency Aoni Production on June 22 that he was stepping away from voicing Sabo in One Piece and Tōru Amuro in Detective Conan. A statement on Mantan Web states that Aoni Production requested the actor step down from these characters, and Tōru agreed.

According to Aoni Production, the actor’s affair “directly and significantly damaged the image of the work and the character” in both instances, requiring an immediate reaction. In the statement, Tōru acknowledges the decision as “the only way I can make amends to everyone involved with the series, the many fans who support me, and to the works and characters.”

In May, the performer, who has played characters in Dragon Ball Z, Gundam, and Sailor Moon in addition to the above, admitted to having an affair with a female fan for over four years. During that time, there was the threat of physical abuse, and Tōru revealed he pushed the woman to have an abortion.

A prominent name within the industry, Tōru’s career has lasted almost 60 years, with his first credited appearances occurring during his teen years. He’s become synonymous with certain characters, such as Yamcha in Dragon Ball Z and Amuro Ray in Gundam, voicing them across numerous installments.

On June 11, it was announced that his role in Metaphor: ReFantasio would be recast. His replacements for that or the aforementioned franchises have yet to be announced, and his status on any other productions is currently unknown. You can check out our upcoming anime list for shows worth looking out for.

If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic abuse, you can find a list of resources for the US here, and a list of resources for the UK here.