Pokémon Journeys: The Series has removed composer Hidekazu Tanaka’s music arrangement credit.
As reported by Anime News Network, the anime has omitted the 35-year-old composer’s name from recent episodes due to this arrest on the charge of attempted forcible indecency. Forcible indecency is the Japanese legal term, which can also include sexual assault. Tanaka composed the second and fourth versions of the opening theme “1・2・3” for Pokémon Journeys. He also received credit for arranging music for The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls and the poorly rated anime Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side: Sword Oratoria.
On Oct. 24, Japanese police arrested Tanaka after a teenage girl accused him of allegedly speaking inappropriately and forcibly pulling her hand near a train station’s bicycle parking area in Tokyo’s Meguro ward in August. Police opened an investigation of the incident and discovered security camera footage of Tanaka following the girl. As of writing, the Metropolitan Police Department is still continuing its investigation. Although some users flooded Tanaka’s recent Instagram posts with comments like, “Why you wanna have s*x with underaged girls man.”
Tanaka Composed Music for Anime and Games During His Career
During his 10-year tenure at the music production company MONACA, Tanaka composed pieces for various anime and video games, including Nyaruko: Crawling with Love! and Servant × Service. The 35-year-old composer also wrote the ending theme “Calendar Girl” for the Aikatsu! anime. “In July 2021, Tanaka left the music production company after his contract expired. Therefore, the 35-year-old composer started his freelance career. Despite his departure, MONACA still wished him the best in his future endeavors.
Other Anime Franchises Are Separating Themselves From His Work
In addition to Pokémon Journeys, Uzaki-chan Wants to Hang Out! has also responded to Tanaka’s recent controversy. The virtual YouTuber Kano’s official website announced they were canceling the release date for “Ichigo Ichie Celebration (Once-in-a-Lifetime Celebration),” the opening theme for the anime’s second season. Tanaka’s song featured Kano and Naomi Ozora, the voice actor behind Uzaki-chan. Kano’s website claimed they halted the song’s sales for “various reasons.”
Originally supposed to release alongside the opening theme, the second season’s ending theme song, “Happy Life” will now make its debut on its own on Nov. 30. Additionally, voice actor and singer Momo Asakura has removed her song “Day and night dream” from her “Piacere!” tour’s setlist, considering Tanaka composed and arranged the track.
Pokémon Journeys: The Series is available to stream on Netflix. Uzaki-Chan Wants to Hang Out! is available on Funimation.
Source: Anime News Network
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