News

Tatsuhisa Suzuki Posts Apology with OLDCODEX's Future Still Uncertain

Voice actor Tatsuhisa Suzuki posted a handwritten apology on Monday:

I am deeply sorry for having caused everyone inconvenience and concern due to my irresponsible and inappropriate behavior.

I am deeply sorry for my actions, and I strongly regret causing inconvenience and concern to many others by acting foolishly.

Going forward on each and every matter, I will be more aware of how much influence my behavior has on those around me, I will be more respectful than ever before, I will do all I can to reexamine myself, and I will act in good faith.

Again, I deeply apologize to everyone who supports me. I am truly sorry.

The website for the musical unit OLDCODEX reported on Monday that its future is still to be determined. Suzuki is the vocalist of OLDCODEX.

Suzuki's agency I'm Enterprise stated that what happened was caused by Suzuki's pride, lack of responsibility, and lack of consideration for how much impact his actions had on those involved. The company added that it will take much time and effort to restore trust that Suzuki lost. In the future, the agency will work to reinforce its training, guidance, and management to prevent this from happening again. In addition, the company will work together with Suzuki to restore that trust, and it plans — eventually —  for Suzuki to resume his activities while keeping tabs on Suzuki's recovery process.

Suzuki's agency announced his hiatus from entertainment industry activities earlier this month due to his poor health. Suzuki's musical unit OLDCODEX and Suzuki's agency made the announcement shortly after singer LiSA, Suzuki's wife, also announced a hiatus "from some of her activities" due to mental and physical fatigue.

Suzuki and LiSA announced their marriage in January 2020. The Weekly Bunshun magazine reported on July 30 on an alleged extramarital affair between Suzuki and a female work associate.

Suzuki offered to step down from the role of Kōtarō Higashi/Ultraman Taro in the Ultraman anime's second season, due to his hiatus. However, he will continue voicing the character Makoto Tachibana in the Free! anime franchise. Toei's 45th live-action Super Sentai series Kikai Sentai Zenkaiger has replaced Tatsuhisa Suzuki with Masaya Fukunishi as the voice of the bird robot Gege, as of the 25th episode which aired on Sunday.

Suzuki's prolific career has included such characters as The Seven Deadly Sins' Ban, Prince of Stride: Alternative's Tasuku Senoo, Seraph of the End's Shinya Hiragi, Kuroko's Basketball's Kazunari Takao, Dagashi Kashi's Tō Endō., and Baka and Test - Summon the Beasts' Yūji Sakamoto. Last year, he voiced roles in Somali and the Forest Spirit, The Misfit of Demon King Academy, My Next Life as a Villainess: All Routes Lead to Doom!, and Onmyoji.

Sources: OLDCODEX's website, Oricon via Hachima Kikо̄