Kōji Yamamoto, planning producer for the Mononoke franchise’s film trilogy, posted an apology on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, and also announced he was retiring from producing. Yamamoto confirmed in the statement that staff had recast a voice actor who had been previously replaced, apologizing for the way in which the information about this was handled. Oricon confirmed that the third film in the trilogy had featured voice actor Takahiro Sakurai as the original Medicine Seller character, who appeared in the film in a cameo role.
Image courtesy of Twin Engine
©Twin Engine
Mononoke The Movie: Chapter III – The Curse of the Serpent (Gekijōban Mononoke Dai-San-Shō: Hebigami), the third installment in the trilogy, opened in Japan on May 29. The staff did not announce before the film released that the original character would appear in the film, or that they had recast Takahiro Sakurai to reprise the role.
Theatergoers noticed the cameo in the film, and noted there was no previous announcement of Sakurai reprising the role, which caused controversy: some fans supported the decision and some were against it.
The staff then revealed a new trailer for the film on Monday that showed the previous Medicine Seller character appearing and voicing a line, but the staff did not mention at the time who voiced the role.
Kōji Yamamoto’s Apology and Statement
Yamamoto apologized to fans for causing the controversy, and stated he was taking responsibility and retiring from producing. (Note: The next paragraph features story spoilers for the Mononoke The Movie: Chapter III – The Curse of the Serpent film.)
Yamamoto explained that as the staff were deciding the story of the third film and how to handle the enemy that appears at the end, the idea arose of summoning another Medicine Seller. Yamamoto added the staff could have chosen another Medicine Seller other than the one from the original television series (the “Ri” Medicine Seller), but the staff wanted to respond to fans who wanted the Ri Medicine Seller to return. He added he believed the staff could bring back the character in a “good way” to please fans and make those happy who wanted to see the character again.
Yamamoto added he wanted fans to experience the reunion with the character without knowing about it beforehand, which is why the staff did not announce the character appearing in the film until June 1, three days after the film opened. But he added that by doing it that way, it “deprived those who did not want to see the original Medicine Seller to choose on their own whether they wanted to go see the film or not.” Yamamoto apologized for the lack of consideration.
Yamamoto added he will focus on management and training the next generation from now on. Yamamoto has previously worked as a producer on such works as anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, The Ancient Magus’ Bride, Eden of the East, Lu over the wall, Princess Jellyfish, Psycho-Pass, ZENSHU., and The Tatami Galaxy, among many others.
Takahiro Sakurai Scandal and Decision to Replace Him in Role
The Weekly Bunshun tabloid newspaper reported in October 2022 that Sakurai had been engaged in an extramarital affair for at least 10 years with a writer for his P.S. Genki Desu. Takahiro travel radio show.
Weekly Bunshun reported that the writer with whom Sakurai had an affair was unaware that Sakurai was married, until just before the recording of the final episode of P.S. Genki Desu. Takahiro’s in October 2022. The voice actor had been discrete about his marriage until September 2022, when he revealed his marital status to Weekly Bunshun. The newspaper added that the writer was so shocked after finding out that Sakurai was married that she had to be admitted to the emergency room, and retired from the writing business afterward.
Sakurai’s talent management agency Intention published a statement the day after the report, which acknowledged the article’s report and apologized to the unnamed woman, Sakurai’s fans, and all involved.
In February 2023, Twin Engine announced that the first film in the trilogy was delayed, and stated Sakurai would no longer reprise the role of the protagonist the Medicine Seller as originally planned. Twin Engine had stated in the announcement:
…the animated film “MONONOKE” sets in Ōoku (historically the women’s quarters of Edo Castle) and tries to depict the suffering and remedy of women. Judging from the standpoint of the story, we decided to change the cast of the Medicine Seller.
Hiroshi Kamiya replaced Sakurai in the role of the Medicine Seller in the trilogy. The character in the film trilogy is a different Medicine Seller from the one who appeared in the television series.
Sources: Kōji Yamamoto’s X/Twitter account, Oricon News
