Anime voice actor Toru Furuya, famous for his roles in Dragon Ball, Gundam, One Piece, and Sailor Moon, has publicly apologized after a report revealed his extramarital relationship with a fan.
In May 2024, Weekly Bunshun, a Japanese magazine, released a report stating that Furuya, who was 70 years old at the time, had been involved in a romantic relationship with a younger fan.
Furuya has recently released a statement of apology, acknowledging that he was in a relationship with the anime fan for a duration of 4.5 years during which he physically laid his hands on her and even coerced her into having an abortion.
“Until last September, I was in a four and a half year long relationship with a female fan. I was initially drawn to her because of her unwavering support for me, and I made the mistake of initiating the relationship myself,”he explained. “Unfortunately, we had one argument during which I unintentionally raised my hand. It was a regrettable action that goes against my values as an adult and as a human being.”
We would like to sincerely apologize and report the situation regarding the weekly magazine report. pic.twitter.com/GRu7QJIEWP
— Toru Furuya (@torushome) May 22, 2024
He also acknowledges the unforgivable mistake of causing her to undergo an abortion. He expresses sincere remorse for the immense pain and suffering he caused the woman, both physically and mentally.
The 70-year-old, who portrayed the characters of Yamcha in Dragon Ball and Sabo in One Piece, also expressed remorse for “betraying”the loyalty of his supporters and “damaging”his reputation.
“My apology concludes with a sincere promise to make amends with all my heart and soul for the rest of my life. I am fully prepared to accept any and all sanctions and am truly remorseful.”
Due to recent news, Toru Furuya will no longer be appearing at MomoCon 2024, thank you for your understanding
— MomoCon (@MomoCon) May 22, 2024
The consequences of Furuya’s behavior have already been experienced. He was expected to attend MomoCon 2024 as a voice actor, but the convention decided to cancel his appearance after the damaging report and his subsequent apology.
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