Pokémon anime composer admits in court to sexually assaulting teenage girl

A veteran Japanese composer for video games has admitted to soliciting sex from a minor and various other lewd acts over the years in Tokyo. Hidekazu Tanaka, 35, whose work includes composing for Pokémon Journeys: The Series and the supernatural anime Highschool of the Dead, has pled guilty to the charges he’s facing in court.

Tanaka admitted to attempt to solicit sex from a 15-year-old girl, per Siliconera, by grabbing her when she was on a bicycle and offering her money for sex. He reportedly said “I’ll give you money so won’t you do it?,” according to Anime News Network.

He told a Tokyo judge that he “liked her face and presence,” so he followed her. Tanaka also admitted to taking pictures underneath women’s skirts for years, and also for regularly exposing himself to female patrons on the train. He said he liked the thrill it gave him knowing he could get caught, and that it helped to “relieve anger and work stress.”

Tanaka is probably best known for composing the song “Star!!” from The [email protected] Cinderella Girls anime, and he composed the soundtrack as well. The opening song to Pokémon Journeys: The Series, called “1・2・3,” no longer bears his name as a composer.

He’s also had a hand in theme songs for Aikatsu!, Oreimo 2, Sword Oratoria: Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side and he worked on the music for Tekken Tag Tournament 2. Japanese voice actress and singer Momo Asakura also removed a Tanaka composition called “Day and Night Dream ‘Shiroku Jichūmu’” from her setlist.