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[AlexxKidd]

Actor and musician Pierre Taki, who voices yakuza Kyohei Hamura in Judgment, has been arrested for alleged illegal drug use.

According to the Mainichi News, investigators searched Taki’s car and Tokyo home based on tips they had received. Nippon.com reports that no cocaine was found. However, Taki was arrested last night, and a urine test turned up positive results for cocaine.

Sega has issued a statement, saying that as the truth was being confirmed it was going to stop selling Judgment’s retail and digital versions. Sega apologized for any trouble that this causes, adding that it was considering what steps to take next.

Even more extreme,

If that were not enough (it’s not apparently!), Sega is also deleting tweets about Judgment.

Not only that, the game no longer shows on their website's game list.

Turns out drug arrests in Japan are serious, but is this a bridge too far?

 

[Thing on a Spring]

Seems like an incredibly over the top, reactionary response from Sega but I don't know much about Japanese drug laws. All I know is, I want to play Juh-jah-menn and hopefully this won't prove to be a spanner in the works when release date rolls round in the UK.

 

[Verdanth]

Wait, the game gets cancelled, is that it?

 

[trikster40]

Whoa, wtf??? Screw this if it’s true. If this game doesn’t come over, and they ruin the hard work of an entire development team over one voice actor’s stupidity, Sega should be ashamed.

This game better still come west.

 

[Raph64]

Cancelling the Western release whom the localization team has putted in many hours of hard work because of a voice actor’s own personal issue would be such a dumb move from Sega.

That’s not how mafia works, Sega. Come on.

 

[Dunki]

Wouldnt that also be an incredible PR if a crime Action drama is featuring a real criminal?

I really hope this does not affect the release of the game in the west.... I was looking forward to it and it could even be my GOTY

 

[Revolutionary]

Talk about an overreaction.

 

[Chozofication_]

Who the fuck cares what he does to his own body and wow sega just get a new voice actor, they are willing to burn money over this? So stupid.

 

[a multicultural team of v]

I am gonna be so pissed off if this doesn't get released in the west now. It is such a shame because you could tell they were really gearing up for this to get a legit marketing push, and it could have marked the relaunch of English Yakuza.

 

[MDSLKTR]

Talk about escalation, everybody does coke lol

 

[ookami]

Who the fuck cares what he does to his own body and wow sega just get a new voice actor, they are willing to burn money over this? So stupid.

In my opinion, this is the process meanwhile they try to assess what to do and take further decisions. Remember, we're talking about a huge Japanese company. They will most probably do as you say and change the voice actor with an update. Worst case they also change the character model.

 

[Verdanth]

Wouldnt that also be an incredible PR if a crime Action drama is featuring a real criminal?

You should make a PR carrer dude.

In my opinion, this is the process meanwhile they try to assess what to do and take further decisions. Remember, we're talking about a huge Japanese company. They will most probably do as you say and change the voice actor with an update. Worst case they also change the character model.

Worst case scenario is the probable scenario since Ryu Ga Gotoku Studios character models are look a likes on their resemblance with real life actors that take the role of said characters..

So, the game is probably going to get delayed.

 

[Whitesnake]

Mangaka caught with child porn -> Fined and slapped on the wrist, manga continues and his characters show up in other media still.

Random VA caught with coke -> Everything he’s in that hasn’t already released is cancelled and destroyed forever.

C’mon, Japan.

 

[a multicultural team of v]

This guy voiced Olaf in Japan, you would think he'd know how to handle this.

"Olaf, are these your drugs?"

"Nope, never met 'em!"

 

[Ar¢tos]

Mangaka caught with child porn -> Fined and slapped on the wrist, manga continues and his characters show up in other media still.

Random VA caught with coke -> Everything he’s in that hasn’t already released is cancelled and destroyed forever.

C’mon, Japan.

Well... There are historical records of samurais keeping young boys/girls as helpers that were also used for sex.
There are no historical records of them doing cocaine!

 

[Tip_of_the_Hat]

I mean, if it's just the Japanese VA then it shouldn't really affect any national releases. Unless this is just the one mistake that ruins it. That would be a seriously over the top reaction.

 

[Northeastmonk]

Release the game. I was worried The Dark Knight wouldn't come out after Heath Ledger's death, but it came out. It also did very well.

 

[No Word Count]

A baffling decision from a western perspective, but this must clearly be a cultural thing that I at least am not familiar with. Talking to a few people, drug charges in Japan are apparently a huge deal, and any association with individuals involved with them is viewed very negatively by people.

I'm sure we can come up with a dozen similar comparison in regards to Hollywood, such as the recent stuff with Bryan Singer and Bohemian Rhapsody.

I still fail to really understand the logic behind this, but oh well.

 

[ookami]

Mangaka caught with child porn -> Fined and slapped on the wrist, manga continues and his characters show up in other media still.

Random VA caught with coke -> Everything he’s in that hasn’t already released is cancelled and destroyed forever.

C’mon, Japan.

Japan has a different relationship with drugs than with porn. Furthermore, they stopped the serialization of the manga for 6 months and the author had to pay a fine around $1800.

 

[Mr Hyde]

Maybe he´s just a dedicated method actor and wanted to try out the Yakuza-lifestyle for real experience.

 

[LegendOfKage]

Wouldn't it make more sense to recast the role and re-record the dialog, or does the contract basically require them to use his work if they ever release the game? This is just awful for a number of reasons. What a waste all around.

 

[Ozymandias013]

Talk about an overreaction.

Really!!I mean in US video games are to blame these days for everything sooo....

 

[AlexxKidd]

Wouldn't it make more sense to recast the role and re-record the dialog, or does the contract basically require them to use his work if they ever release the game? This is just awful for a number of reasons. What a waste all around.

You also have the "problem" of the character model being based on him, so it's not just his voice in the game its his physical appearance.

 

[HyGogg]

Oh, Japan. Cocaine is a major scandal that taints the entire game, but pedophilia a minor controversy at best.

 

[Spukc]

Snorting coke is only for the cool kids.
I guess sega aint cool anymore...

 

[Fbh]

Come on Sega, we are used to our celebrities using drugs in the west, no one gives a shit. Don't delay the western release

Wouldn't it make more sense to recast the role and re-record the dialog, or does the contract basically require them to use his work if they ever release the game? This is just awful for a number of reasons. What a waste all around.

That's probably what they are going to do. The guy isn't just voicing the character though, he also gave his likeness to it so they'll probably have to replace the model (or at least the face) too.

They have actually done exactly that with the remaster of Yakuza 4 after an actor was accused of drug use:

 

[HyGogg]

You also have the "problem" of the character model being based on him, so it's not just his voice in the game its his physical appearance.

Well, it's performance capture, all these things are done together. They aren't just looping him in a sound booth.

I wonder if this impacts the western release. Out last three presidents (at least) all did coke, no one cares here.

 

[DeliciousDoc]

Price of the game jumped up suddenly so I bought it today for close to release price. DLC page doesn't load so no fan service dlc for me.

 

[petran79]

Wouldnt that also be an incredible PR if a crime Action drama is featuring a real criminal?


I really hope this does not affect the release of the game in the west.... I was looking forward to it and it could even be my GOTY

One of the coolest action movie actors spent 11 years behind bars

 

[Verdanth]

Price of the game jumped up suddenly so I bought it today for close to release price. DLC page doesn't load so no fan service dlc for me.

If only japanese version had english subtitles

 

[JohannCK]

He's not a "random VA".

Come on Sega, we are used to our celebrities using drugs in the west, no one gives a shit. Don't delay the western release



That's probably what they are going to do. The guy isn't just voicing the character though, he also gave his likeness to it so they'll probably have to replace the model (or at least the face) too.

They have actually done exactly that with the remaster of Yakuza 4 after an actor was accused of drug use:

Just want to add that the accusations in that case turned out to be bullshit, and the guy ended up leaving the industry himself after he and his family were harassed by people and the media.

 

[wvnative]

fuck even japan has outrage culture on this level? Christ

Sega release the game.

 

[KonradLaw]

fuck even japan has outrage culture on this level? Christ

Sega release the game.

They can get even more extreme in their outrages. They just get outraged about different things.

 

[molasar]

Come on, all characters in the game are law abiding citizens. We cannot have someone involved in it tainting its image.

 

[Whitesnake]

Japan has a different relationship with drugs than with porn. Furthermore, they stopped the serialization of the manga for 6 months and the author had to pay a fine around $1800.

You're kinda proving my point here. 6 months of no serialization and $1800 are both nothing. The money he's probably made over the years from having one of the most influential manga probably makes those punishments piss in the wind.

My problem isn't even that he didn't get punished enough, it's the inconsistency. I'm fine with Ruroni Kenshin continuing, but by that token Judgement should release with no problems.

 

[joe_zazen]

So someone can anonymously call the jp police and that gives them the right to break into your car, home, and force you to give the govt bodily fluids? That sounds horrible.

 

[Dunki]

Come on Sega, we are used to our celebrities using drugs in the west, no one gives a shit. Don't delay the western release



That's probably what they are going to do. The guy isn't just voicing the character though, he also gave his likeness to it so they'll probably have to replace the model (or at least the face) too.

They have actually done exactly that with the remaster of Yakuza 4 after an actor was accused of drug use:

WAIT this guy was accused of Drug use? I can not remember his name but he was/is pretty popular in the Jdrama world. I watched a lot series he acted in

 

[MisterBrimstone]

Is it me or this shows how scared companies are of a media backlash of some sort?

It's so sad.

 

[celsowmbr]

It's Propeller Arena's Curse again

 

[Solo Act]

I thought someone would update that "Japanese culture (I'm an expert)" meme for this news when I read the OP. You're letting me down GAF!

 

[AlexxKidd]

Come on, all characters in the game are law abiding citizens. We cannot have someone involved in it tainting its image.

God forbid someone appearing in a Yakuza game has a questionable background.

 

[FearlessBelgian]

Delete a complete game because of the stupidity of an actor? Why ? It would be the creator of the game or the producer, okay but an actor ????

 

[Hinedorf]

Yet they remain such huge Michael Jackson fans..........

 

[ookami]

You're kinda proving my point here. 6 months of no serialization and $1800 are both nothing. The money he's probably made over the years from having one of the most influential manga probably makes those punishments piss in the wind.

My problem isn't even that he didn't get punished enough, it's the inconsistency. I'm fine with Ruroni Kenshin continuing, but by that token Judgement should release with no problems.

Yup, we have the same opinion. It was just me nitpicking over tiny details and about the fact that Japan was harsher with drugs' crimes than sometimes sentences for assaulting.
In fact, they've been handling drugs' crimes since the 90s' while child pornography is only illegal since 2014... This is quite odd that it took them that much time to prohibit it.
Another example is how you can get a much higher fine for uncensored pornography than what had to pay the author.

 

[Trogdor1123]

Seems like an extreme reaction.

 

[Night.Ninja]

I can’t wait until coke is legal

 

[Rentahamster]

Japan tends to overreact when it comes to drug related stuff.

 

[Verdanth]

Bet the dude is singing this at the police station:

 

[Shifty]

That doesn't seem good.

Hopefully this is a case of taking it off shelves for a bit to avoid a PR shitstorm, then quietly putting it back up when things blow over.
It would be a shame to see this game poof out of existence because one of its actors broke the law.

 

[Krakin]

That's how it is in Japan. Remember how Samurai X swapped out one of the ending songs and had Heart of Sword playing on two different ending sequences? That's because the L'Arc-en-Ciel drummer was arrested for drug use.