Koji Yamamoto, the planning producer behind Mononoke the Film, introduced his retirement from producing on July 5, citing duty for the controversy surrounding voice actor Takahiro Sakurai’s unannounced return in Mononoke The Film: Chapter III – The Curse of the Serpent.
Yamamoto issued a prolonged apology on X, acknowledging criticism over each Sakurai’s reinstatement and the choice to not disclose his look within the movie earlier than its launch.
Sakurai initially voiced the character within the 2007 tv anime and was initially anticipated to reprise the position within the movie venture. Nonetheless, he was faraway from the forged in 2022 following experiences revealed by Bunshun On-line alleging that he had engaged in an extramarital affair.
Following his departure, Hiroshi Kamiya was subsequently forged because the protagonist of the movie trilogy, portraying a unique Medication Vendor and never that of Sakurai’s character.
On the time of the recasting, the manufacturing committee said that the choice had been made in consideration of the themes of the movie venture, which shifts the setting to the Ooku and focuses on the struggling and salvation of ladies.
Nonetheless, audiences who attended Mononoke The Film: Chapter III – The Curse of the Serpent found that Takahiro Sakurai had secretly returned to voice the unique Medication Vendor. The unannounced cameo sparked controversy on-line, with followers criticizing the manufacturing for withholding his involvement previous to the movie’s launch.
Addressing the criticism, Yamamoto apologized to viewers who felt uncomfortable with the choice and accepted full duty for the controversy, stating that the alternatives surrounding Sakurai’s elimination and eventual return have been his personal.
He defined that Sakurai’s return was tied to inventive discussions surrounding the conclusion of the trilogy’s story. Based on him, the manufacturing staff confronted challenges in figuring out find out how to resolve the storyline involving Hyakume, a Mononoke that seems after the occasions of Hebigami. Throughout these discussions, the concept emerged to convey again one other Medication Vendor.
The producer mentioned the employees thought of various approaches, together with introducing a unique Medication Vendor or that includes the unique character solely by way of visible appearances. Finally, nevertheless, he believed many followers nonetheless needed to see the unique model of the character return and felt that reintroducing him may present a significant second for the trilogy’s finale.
Yamamoto acknowledged that the manufacturing committee did not correctly contemplate how audiences would react to the shock look.
He said that the employees deliberately withheld the knowledge as a result of they needed viewers to expertise the return of the unique Medication Vendor with out prior information and even carried out a three-day spoiler-free marketing campaign after launch.
Nonetheless, he admitted that the strategy in the end disadvantaged some viewers of the flexibility to make an knowledgeable selection about watching the movie.
As a part of his assertion, Yamamoto introduced that he would retire from producing altogether.
The entire assertion by Koji Yamamoto could be learn beneath:
Warning: This assertion comprises spoilers for Mononoke the Film: Chapter III – Snake God. Please proceed with warning you probably have not but seen the movie.
Thanks very a lot in your continued help of Mononoke the Film.
We’re sincerely grateful to the many individuals who’ve gone to see Mononoke The Film: Chapter III – The Curse of the Serpent, which opened in theaters on Might 29. Now we have additionally obtained messages of appreciation from viewers, and on behalf of the whole employees, I wish to specific my heartfelt thanks.
At current, now we have obtained many opinions concerning the elimination and reinstatement of a voice actor, in addition to how that info was communicated. Because the individual overseeing manufacturing, I wish to clarify the circumstances and supply my apologies.
Though I’m within the place of apologizing, I humbly ask that there be no private assaults, harassment, or arguments amongst followers. Director Nakamura and all members of the employees have devoted themselves to creating this work with a single want: to supply one thing audiences may take pleasure in. I sincerely ask in your understanding and cooperation.
Relating to the Recasting
Because of the sequence of incidents that led to the actor’s elimination, some employees members expressed considerations about whether or not it will be potential to proceed manufacturing as deliberate. I personally felt that the venture itself may not be capable to proceed underneath these circumstances.
On the similar time, I believed that the setting wherein audiences may benefit from the work had been broken. These have been the explanations behind the choice to take away him from the position.
Relating to His Reinstatement
Because the director has talked about in interviews, one of many challenges we confronted was figuring out find out how to conclude the story involving Hyakume, which seems after Hebigami. An concept emerged to summon one other Medication Vendor.
After all, there have been different prospects, akin to introducing a unique Medication Vendor or having the Medication Vendor from Mononoke’s authentic continuity seem solely visually.
Nonetheless, I additionally needed to answer the voices of followers who wished to see the Medication Vendor from Bakemono no Ko (“Ri”) once more. I believed that if we may convey him again in a significant manner and provides audiences one thing they might respect, it will create a becoming second for the ultimate chapter. That perception led me to resolve on his return.
I additionally hoped that those that have been saddened by the sensation {that a} beloved character had merely ceased to exist would discover pleasure in being reunited with the Medication Vendor from Ri.
Relating to How the Medication Vendor from Ri Seems
The protagonist of the movie trilogy is, firstly, the Medication Vendor from Kon. The Medication Vendor from Ri was depicted as somebody who seems in response to a name for assist from the Medication Vendor of Kon.
The Karakasa, Hinezumi, and Hebigami Mononoke—born from the struggling of the ladies residing inside the Ooku—are exorcised by the Medication Vendor of Kon. In the meantime, the Medication Vendor of Ri assists in slaying Hyakume, a Mononoke born from the collected feelings and obsessions of all individuals.
This distinction was intentionally established between the 2 characters.
Relating to How Data Was Communicated
The best concern, in my opinion, was that we did not train the extent of consideration that this choice required.
I believed that if the excellence described above was correctly conveyed, audiences would welcome the looks of the Medication Vendor from Ri.
We needed audiences to expertise their reunion with him with out prior information, so we selected to not reveal the knowledge upfront and carried out a three-day spoiler-free interval.
In consequence, nevertheless, this strategy disadvantaged those that didn’t want to see the Medication Vendor from Ri of the chance to resolve for themselves whether or not they needed to look at the movie.
I deeply remorse how poorly we anticipated that final result and sincerely apologize.
I additionally supply my heartfelt apologies to anybody who felt uncomfortable as a result of we didn’t disclose the forged info beforehand. We failed to indicate adequate consideration.
Correction
I wish to appropriate a misunderstanding concerning the looks of the Medication Vendor from Ri.
Some individuals could have gotten the impression that the choice was left as much as Hiroshi Kamiya. That isn’t the case.
Each the choice to take away the actor and the choice to convey him again have been made by me, because the individual overseeing manufacturing. Mr. Kamiya was knowledgeable of our intentions and gave his approval.
I wish to specific each my gratitude and my apologies to Mr. Kamiya, who understood the creators’ intentions and, above all, helped convey the Medication Vendor of Kon to life all through the theatrical trilogy.
I might additionally like to precise my gratitude and apologies to Mr. Takahiro Sakurai, who accepted the position regardless of his personal considerations and deliberations, after understanding the creators’ intentions.
For transparency, Mr. Kamiya’s company and Mr. Sakurai reviewed this assertion upfront.
Last Remarks
Each member of the Mononoke the Film employees has labored on this venture with the honest hope that audiences would take pleasure in it.
I wish to supply the best reward to Chief Director Kenji Nakamura and all of the employees members who contributed to the movies.
Regardless of their efforts, I acknowledge that I’ve did not create an setting the place audiences can benefit from the work with out reservation, and I really feel a deep sense of duty for that actuality.
I’m really sorry.
I humbly ask in your continued help and affection for Mononoke sooner or later.
Koji Yamamoto
Twin Engine Inc.
Mononoke: Phantom within the Rain, the primary movie within the trilogy, was launched on July 26, 2024. It was adopted by the second movie, titled Mononoke the Film: The Ashes of Rage, which was launched on March 14, 2025.
The ultimate movie, The Curse of the Serpent, hit the theaters in Japan on Might 29, 2026.
Supply: X
