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Denki Groove Band Member/Actor Pierre Taki Arrested for Cocaine Use (Updated)
posted on by Rafael Antonio Pineda
The Narcotics Control Department of Japan's Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry arrested Denki Groove member and actor Pierre Taki (real name Masanori Taki) on Tuesday for alleged illegal possession and use of cocaine.
According to authorities, Taki tested positive for cocaine in a urine test conducted on Tuesday night. Authorities have confiscated his smartphone, and are investigating when and where he used it. Authorities also confiscated a rolled up South Korean won bill that he supposedly used as a straw. According to the Narcotics Control Department, Taki had been under investigation since fall last year.
Sega announced on Wednesday that it will temporarily cease sales of its Judgment (Judge Eyes: Shinigami no Yuigon) PlayStation 4 game. Taki voices a character in the game whose in-game model is also based on him. The game shipped in Japan last December, and is slated to ship worldwide in June.
Taki was also playing roles on NHK's Idaten ~Tokyo Olympic Banashi~ Taiga historical drama, TBS' Jinsei Saikō Restaurant variety show and Genbabito documentary program, and TBS' Tamamusubi radio program, all of which announced that they are "investigating appropriate responses" to the situation. He also narrates BS11's Sekai no Kokkyō o Aruitemitara program, which has announced that it will change the narrator for the program. Shizuoka Asahi TV canceled its Pierre Taki no Shonnai TV variety show.
Denki Groove's planned concert at Zepp Tokyo on Friday and Saturday has also been canceled.
Taki voiced the character Olaf in the Japanese dub of Disney's Frozen film, and reprised the role in Square Enix's Kingdom Hearts III game. Disney plans to release the Frozen 2 film sequel simultaneously in the United States and Japan on November 22.
Taki has performed theme songs for the Hakaba Kitarō anime, and he has also voiced roles in the Odenkun and Ganbare! Odenkun anime. He played the character Sōda in the live-action Attack on Titan films. His synthpop group Denki Groove performed songs for Eureka Seven, Hakaba Kitarō, Welcome to Irabu's Office, and the recent Pokémon the Movie: The Power of Us film.
Sources: Asahi Shimbun, The Mainichi Shimbun, The Japan Times, Music Natalie
Update: The Asahi Shimbun paper reported on Wednesday that Walt Disney Japan is considering replacing Taki as the voice of Olaf in the Frozen 2 sequel film. Source: Asahi Shimbun via Nijimen
this article has been modified since it was originally posted; see change history