Takahiro Sakurai was recast from the Mononoke film trilogy after a 2022 scandal, then reprised the Medicine Seller role in the third film without prior disclosure, prompting the planning producer's retirement and apology.
Takahiro Sakurai's involvement in the Mononoke film trilogy became a point of controversy after he was recast following a 2022 scandal. The planning producer, Koji Yamamoto, announced his retirement on Friday and apologized for the handling of Sakurai's unannounced cameo in the third film. Sakurai had originally voiced the Medicine Seller but was replaced; his return in the third film without prior disclosure divided the fanbase and led to Yamamoto's public accountability.
Separately, Sakurai is not listed among the cast for the upcoming anime adaptation of Minoru Toyoda's manga Draw This, Then Die!, which premieres on July 3. The series features Akira Sekine, Saori Hayami, and Inori Minase in lead roles. The two stories provide no further details on Sakurai's other current or upcoming projects.
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Koji Yamamoto, planning producer for the Mononoke film trilogy, announced his retirement from producing on Friday and apologized for the handling of Takahiro Sakurai's unannounced cameo in the third film. Sakurai, who was replaced after a 2022 scandal, reprised the original Medicine Seller role without prior disclosure, sparking controversy among fans.
The television anime adaptation of Minoru Toyoda's manga Draw This, Then Die! will premiere on July 3. The first promotional video, released on Friday, reveals and previews the opening theme song "Isho" by Tatsuya Kitani. The series will air on NTV's "Friday Anime Night" programming block at 11:30 p.m. JST. The anime is directed by Hiroaki Akagi at Shinei Animation, with series scripts overseen by Hiroko Fukuda. The cast includes Akira Sekine as Ai Yasumi, Saori Hayami as Rei Teshima, and Inori Minase as Hikaru Sekiryū, among others. The manga, which launched in Shogakukan's Monthly Shonen Sunday in November 2021, won an award at the 70th Shogakukan Manga Awards in January 2025 and the 16th Manga Taisho awards in 2023. Seven Seas Entertainment has licensed the manga for English release.