The latest report from the official website of The Kingdom of Ruins has announced that the seiyuu behind Oz’s character is getting replaced. The 31-year-old actor and voice actor, Junya Ikeda, was apprehended for his participation in a fraud on October 30, 2023.
The anime plans on introducing a new voice actor for the role at a later date.
Fraud is a grave violation under Japanese law. Hence, Ikeda’s agency, BaRU, officially cut ties with him on October 27, 2023. Special fraud targets vulnerable individuals and is a prevalent issue in Japan. But, it does carry legal penalties for those implicated.
Concurrently, Happy Elements, the company that is responsible for the ‘Ensemble Stars!’ game and anime franchises, has responded to the situation, too. Ikeda voiced the character of Mitsuru Tenma in the franchise. So, they issued a statement indicating their current evaluation of the situation. They reassured that they will announce their decision in due course.
What other characters does Ikeda voice?
Apart from these, when it comes to voice acting, Ikeda initially rose to fame for his role as Gai Ikari. He played this character in the Super Sentai live-action film franchise, from 2011 to 2021. His debut credited role was as Ataru Suruga in Majestic Prince. He also lent his voice to Jo Kido in Digimon Adventure, and to Knives Millions in the 2023 anime adaptation of Trigun Stampede. While he has been recognized mainly for his voice acting, he expanded his career into screenwriting and stage direction.
Voicing the character of Oz Gorgeous in The Kingdoms of Ruin was a notable role for him. However, with the anime production committee’s decision to replace him, the controversy amongst fans has hit the internet.
In other developments, fans are awaiting the new episode of The Kingdoms of Ruin, which will be out on November 3, 2023. Click here for more information on the release.
