Sometimes, a bit of drama stirs up the world of Japanese actors. More often than not, it involves some type of indecent scandal, as tends to happen in Japan, but other times it’s something as simple as a friendly feud.
This time, the news flooding social media in anime circles involves none other than two actors from the stage adaptation of Chainsaw Man: Aya Hirano and Masashi Taniguchi. You might not immediately associate their names with their roles, but Hirano plays Makima, the Chief Cabinet Secretary’s personal Devil Hunter, while Taniguchi portrays Kishibe, the captain of Tokyo Special Division 4. If you’re not sure what’s going on behind the scenes, we’ll fill you in on all the details.
What happened to the Makima and Kishibe voice actors?
The actors who bring Makima and Kishibe to life on stage are actually headed for divorce — shocking, I know. For those who were aware of their relationship, this news is surprising, especially after Japan celebrated their relationship announcement back in 2023. During the production of the stage play, Hirano, 36, met Taniguchi, 46, and sometime later, they revealed their relationship had blossomed into romantic lands.
Fans adored the classic “co-workers to lovers” story, and the couple was showered with love and support immediately upon revealing their newfound love for each other. On January 3, 2024, they joyfully celebrated their marriage, only to announce their divorce eight months later, on September 11, 2024, as reported by Oricon. However, this separation seems to have more to it than meets the eye.
Several media outlets have reported that domestic violence may be at the root of the couple’s split. However, both Oricon and Hirano’s teams have warned fans about the circulation of false reports and rumors across Japanese media, alongside plenty of false speculation. At this point, neither Hirano nor Taniguchi has spoken publicly on the matter, as the actress plans to handle legal affairs before addressing the situation — understandably so.
The stage play adaptation of Chainsaw Man took place in 2023, running from September to October — exactly a year ago at the time of writing and after the first season of the anime reached platforms. The couple met during rehearsals for the play, and once the cast was announced, Chainsaw Man fans were understandably eager to see the duo share the stage for the first time.
Taniguchi is mostly known for his work in Kamen Rider, a popular Japanese superhero media franchise where he played several characters, as well as Kyukyu Sentai GoGoFive. Hirano, however, has a much more extensive résumé, and chances are you’ve heard her voice in several anime over the years, despite her age. The 36-year-old actress has voiced iconic characters like Misa Amane in Death Note and Menchi in Hunter x Hunter. Most recently, she was announced as the voice actress for Vegapunk Lilith in One Piece and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for her.
Published: Sep 12, 2024 02:53 pm