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The Idolm@ster's Yurina Hase Explains Why She Left Yukiho Role

Voice actress Yurina Hase has recently opened up on Twitter about why she left the role of The IDOLM@STER's Yukiho Hagiwara back in 2010.

While working the role in 2009, Hase had received several death threats, causing her to hold off on many of her event appearances. During that time, she had heard that if she could not appear at events, the character Yukiho would be removed from the franchise, though she notes that this may have been a lie told by her manager at the time. She even received an email from her manager saying that they were already looking for a new voice actress to play Yukiho.

"I didn't know if I should've said something, but saying something would have been difficult," Hase tweeted.

Hase went on by mentioning the death threats against her as a major source of anxiety. The pressures that came with dealing with police made it physically and mentally difficult for her to record. She suffered from hyperventilation just by going to rehearsals. Although she had told the Namco staff that she could not appear at events, they had told her, "Please continue to play Yukiho!"

While not actively choosing to leave the role, her agency chose to remove her from the role. Her manager approved this without notifying her so that the agency wouldn't have to take responsibility for any scandal. Although she was panicked and upset, she felt somewhat assured that Azumi Asakura would be taking over the role.

"...I think that the Yukiho I played is my Yukiho, and the one played by Azumin (Azumi Asakura) is her Yukiho. After all, if I didn't think that, it would just be rude to Azumin. She's a very cute Yukiho. A miraculous Yukiho. However, I also hold the Yukiho that I played very dear in my heart."

Her openness comes in response to the recent announcement of fellow voice actress Miyu Matsuki passing away.

"She was like a big sister to me," Hase tweeted when remembering her encounters during her early days as a voice actress. "When I first started out as a voice actress, she was incredibly kind to me."

She also mentioned how hard it was to live after the incident.

"It's a miracle that I'm still living now. No matter how poor I was, no matter how weak my body was, no matter how painful every day was, I am living now... I am kept alive. That's why I have to do my best to continue living."

She sadly remembered her and fellow voice actress Chieko Honda, who died in 2013.

"I've thought deeply of these two people that I've had the honor of working with in the past. I've also had the feelings of The IDOLM@STER fans in my heart. I wish I didn't wait until now to say all of this. I'm truly sorry for that."

She went on to apologize for taking so long to disclose this information.

"Now that I think back on it, it was a wonderful experience. I really think that. That's why I don't hold a grudge against anyone, and I think this was for the best," she stated, "I feel that if I didn't say it now, though, I probably never would have said it all."

[Via Hachima Kiko]