Anime voice actor Toru Furuya, best known for his role as Sabo in the ongoing One Piece series, as well as his works such as Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon and Mobile Suit, has publicly apologized for his affair with a actress. fan.
According to Oricon News, Weekly Bunshun, a weekly tabloid based in Tokyo, reported that it interviewed Furuya, 70, who gave a response on his X (formerly Twitter) account. to apologize for a 4 and a half year relationship. with a woman in her 30s that lasted until September 2023. Furuya also apologized for his actions during the affair, which included assaulting an unnamed fan during an argument and forcing her abortion when she became pregnant.
“I was attracted by her sincere support so I contacted her and started a relationship with her. During our relationship, we had an argument and I finally raised my hand. As an adult, that is the worst thing a human being can do.” “, Furuya said. “I also made the unforgivable mistake of causing her to have an abortion. I am truly sorry for hurting her deeply both physically and mentally. I cannot apologize enough for betraying my fans' trust, disappointing them, hurting them, and tarnishing my character…I will spend the rest of my life making amends with all my heart me. I am willing to accept any punishment. I'm really sorry,” Furuya continued.
Furuya's talent agency, Aoni Production, also released a public statement on its official website regarding the news. “Thank you so much for your continued support. Regarding some reports regarding Toru Furuya, an actor affiliated with our company, we would like to express our gratitude to all the fans who support us daily and all those who have relate to.” our supporters. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and concern…Furuya deeply regrets his actions towards the other party and the inconvenience he caused to everyone, and this is the result of public Our company does not have enough guidance and supervision for Furuya. Once again, we apologize for the inconvenience caused,” the statement read.
Furuya has been engaged in professional voice acting since the 1960s, with one of his breakthrough roles occurring in 1979 when he voiced Amuro Ray, the main character of the original Mobile Suit anime series. Since then, he has continued to voice many popular characters in mainstream series, including Dragon Ball (Yamcha), Sailor Moon (Mamoru Chiba/Tuxedo Mask), Saint Seiya (Pegasus Seiya), and One Piece ( Sabo). His most recent role is in the currently airing original anime series Highspeed Etoile (Storyteller).
Currently, Furuya's future involvement in the anime industry remains uncertain. However, many Japanese fans believe that he may officially retire and his current role will be replaced by alternative voice actors.
Source: Oricon News, Aoni Production