Late Cast Switch-up in Metaphor: ReFantazio due to Actor's misconduct

Japan is stepping up its responsiveness towards celebrity misconduct. Just this year, there have been numerous instances of voice actors from anime series engaging in illicit relationships with fans or abusing their fame for exploitation. Recently, this stricter policy has also permeated the video gaming industry.

In an official announcement, Atlus, the game's developer, declared the disengagement of Toru Furuya from their impending project, Metaphor: ReFantazio, following allegations of physical abuse towards a woman with whom he was involved, culminating in her experiencing a miscarriage. Furthermore, Furuya has also been suspended from his ongoing position in the Detective Conan series; he has also been identified from roles in Dragon Ball (as Yamcha) and One Piece (as Sabo). 

Atlus is set to provide an update in July on the replacement of the character (currently kept under wraps) that Furuya was due to voice. This will ensure enough time for re-recording dialogues ahead of the slated October 11 launch of Metaphor: ReFantazio.