Toru Furuya became the center of attention after he reportedly admitted to having an abusive relationship with one of his fans for over four years.
Although his apology letter does not convey the full extent of the scandal, an interview with the victim himself – who is known as A-ko (Japanese media often refers to the anonymous victim as A-ko or B-ko), Bunshun revealed more information about their relationship.
The 33-year-old fan, significantly younger than Furuya and only a year apart from his daughter, details a series of troubling events that began with her admiration for his work and escalated into a relationship. complicated and painful love.
A-ko claims that she gave her story so he wouldn't repeat the same mistake with anyone else.
Table of contents
Initial interaction
A-ko first became aware of Furuya through his role as Tooru Amuro in the 2016 film Detective Conan: Darkest Nightmare.
Her admiration deepened after she attended a fan event in 2017, where Furuya interacted closely with attendees. She recalls the event involving hugs and other close interactions, which made her feelings for him even stronger.
As of 2019, she has watched Zero the Enforcer 45 times and regularly sends letters and gifts from fans to Furuya's company.
Her interaction with fans took a personal turn on New Year's Day 2019 when she received a text from an unknown number, which turned out to be from Furuya himself.
Initially skeptical, she eventually believed it was actually him after they exchanged messages. Their first face-to-face meeting took place in February 2019 at a restaurant in Tokyo, followed by a karaoke session where Furuya's singing captivated her even more.
Toru forced himself on her
In March 2019, A-ko went to Kochi City to attend an anime event and was invited to Furuya's hotel room late at night.
When she arrived, A-ko alleged that Furuya forcibly pushed her onto the bed and attempted to have unprotected sex with her despite her protests.
He reassured her by asserting that he was infertile due to unsuccessful fertility treatments with his wife. It didn't occur to her that Furuya might be lying (VA has a daughter, as mentioned before).
“Even though he said I'm still worried about getting pregnant. But he is my idol, someone I admire greatly. The thought that he might be lying never crossed my mind. We ended up having unprotected sex that night,” she admitted.
This meeting marks the beginning of a more tense period in their relationship – as Furuya often takes some time out to spend with her.
Such escapades are expected from a man for whom sex plays an important role in their relationship and that being with her makes him feel like he is still a man and that he still has it in him.
However, the voice actor also said that he has “real feelings” for A-ko.
Tensions rise and Furuya becomes abusive
Furuya's marital status is a constant source of tension when it comes to the relationship between the two.
A-ko admits she fell deeply in love with him despite their significant age difference. However, Furuya always affirmed that he could not divorce his wife.
In September 2020, the violent incident at Furuya's villa in the Kanto region marked a turning point. During a heated argument, Furuya allegedly hit her multiple times, causing her nose to bleed.
Even though she called the police, Furuya took her phone.
After the fight, A-ko and Furuya chased and fled the villa, begging for forgiveness. Although police arrived, the incident was ultimately dismissed by responding officers as a lovers' quarrel.
Furuya later admitted to the violence, saying he lost control in a panic attack.
“I hit her two or three times. During our argument, she started saying she was going to 'leave'… I panicked. I lost control and attacked,” he said. “I panicked, thinking that if this turned into a police case and everything was revealed, it would all be over. The police arrived, but they considered it a lovers' quarrel and left it at that.“
Despite police involvement, the situation calms down and A-ko continues the relationship, albeit increasingly wary. Furuya continues to seek her advice on personal projects and uses his voice talent to manipulate her emotions, further complicating their dynamic.
He declares his love to A-ko, using the voices of beloved characters, including Tooru Amuro, the role that connected them. He adapted Amuro's line, “My lover, is this country,” replacing “country” with her name.
He later admitted in an interview following A-ko's revelation that this was “an act that tarnished the character” and apologized to fans.
Forced abortion:
The biggest hurdle in her path is yet to come.
In March 2021, A-ko discovered she was pregnant. Furuya's reaction was immediate and decisive: he wanted her to have an abortion.
He initially conveyed this through a normal LINE message, which A-ko found extremely hurtful.
When she called him, the first thing he said was that he insisted on terminating the pregnancy. Despite her emotional turmoil and her desire for him to consider his feelings, Furuya remained determined.
He initially refused to sign the necessary consent form, justifying his refusal by claiming that it was to continue their relationship.
After much persuasion, he finally signed a memorandum of understanding according to procedure, but this event caused A-ko to have a mental breakdown.
“When he refused to sign, he justified it by saying, 'It's so I can continue my relationship with you.' I persuaded him and asked him to sign a memorandum of understanding after the meeting. surgery, separate from the version previously submitted to the hospital. A-ko said to Bunshun.
The hand-devide
The relationship ended abruptly in September 2023 after an argument at the airport. Returning from an event in Hokkaido, the two argued about their future.
Furuya, angrier than ever, brings up the abortion and his marital status, ending the relationship in a public confrontation.
A-ko hasn't contacted him since then. Reflecting on her love life, she admits the mixture of happiness and cruelty she experienced, leaving her feelings deeply conflicted.
A-ko recalls that during their last argument, Furuya harshly reminded her that she knew he was married when they got involved, and he mentioned the abortion as if it were a point. controversial.
His last words to her were, “It really is over,” then he walked away, leaving her feeling betrayed and disappointed.
Despite the abusive nature of the relationship, A-ko admits there were moments of genuine happiness that made her feelings about the entire experience complicated and difficult to reconcile.
Toru Furuya's wife calls him stupid and short-sighted, claiming they will have to live in shame. She also told their daughter, who allegedly said, “I'm on your side, dad.”
Source: Bunshun via Zeonic-Republic