Voice Actor Toru Furuya Retires from One Piece and Detective Conan Roles

Toru Furuya has recently resigned from his positions as Sabo in One Piece and Toru Amuro in Detective Conan. This decision was made after he publicly apologized for engaging in an affair with a fan and subsequently deactivated his Twitter account.

Toru Furuya recently disclosed that he was romantically involved with a female fan for four and a half years, until their relationship ended in September of last year. He admitted that he had developed feelings for a devoted fan who had supported him wholeheartedly, and that he had initiated the affair. He also confessed to physically harming her once during a disagreement and to pressuring her to have an abortion.

Despite his heartfelt apologies, Toru Furuya has continued to express deep remorse for his actions. Below, you can find the full translation of his comment, providing a thorough understanding of his decision.

I know my selfish behaviors have caused trouble and worry to many of you. Regarding my future appearances in Detective Conan and ONE PIECE, which I have deeply hurt the image of both the works and the characters due to this matter. After careful consideration and with a heavy heart, I have decided to step down from my roles as Toru Amuro and Sabo as the only form of atonement that I can offer at this time. Allow me to have once again a chance to extend my apologies to everyone significantly troubled. I sincerely apologize for the matter.

The agency representing Toru Furuya, Aoni Production, has confirmed that they have initiated the resignation process. The decision was proposed to the voice actor, who ultimately accepted it. A comprehensive statement released by the agency provides further details:

We extend our sincere appreciation to your continued support. We have had a series of discussions with our voice actor, Toru Furuya, regarding the scandals involving him. Allow us to announce: at the conclusion of our discussions, we proposed a resignation request to him from his roles in Detective Conan as Toru Amuro and ONE PIECE as Sabo, whose image he has directly and significantly damaged, and he has decided to accept our request. We would like to extend our deepest apologies once again to everyone involved in the productions and to the many fans who support them.

Toru Furuya, a distinguished Japanese voice actor, has made a lasting impact on the anime industry through his diverse range of performances. With a career spanning over 50 years and including more than 100 titles, he has lent his voice to renowned characters like Tuxedo Mask in Sailor Moon, Amuro Ray in Mobile Suit Gundam, Yamcha in Dragon Ball, and Tōru Amuro/Rei Furuya in Detective Conan. His recent decision to step down from roles like Sabo in One Piece and Toru Amuro in Detective Conan signifies the end of an era in the world of anime.