‘Tokyo Revengers’ to Recast Draken Following Alleged Controversy Involving Tatsuhisa Suzuki and Singer-Songwriter LiSA
Tokyo Revengers is returning for its Christmas Showdown Arc, but the popular anime will see a change to its voice cast during its next chapter. Draken has become one of Tokyo Revengers‘ fan-favorite characters, but Tatsuhisa Suzuki won’t be voicing him moving forward. This development comes after reports of a controversy involving Japanese singer LiSA, who’s well known for her work on Demon Slayer.
‘Tokyo Revengers’ is recasting Draken
Ken Ryuguji, or Draken, is one of the founders of the Tokyo Manji Gang, and despite his tough-guy demeanor, he’s quickly become one of fans’ favorite Tokyo Revengers characters. And it doesn’t take long to figure out why.
Draken is voiced by Tatsuhisa Suzuki in Tokyo Revengers Season 1, but it was recently announced he’d be stepping away from the role. Anime News Network reports that the decision was made by Suzuki’s talent agency and the anime’s production team. The development follows a career hiatus, during which the voice actor and singer paused work on his current projects.
But what led to Suzuki’s acting break and his recasting in Tokyo Revengers? Allegedly, it stems from a controversy involving his wife, Risa Oribe, best known by her stage name, LiSA.
Why is Draken voice actor Tatsuhisa Suzuki leaving the anime?
Draken voice actor Tatsuhisa Suzuki and Japanese singer LiSA publicized their marriage at the beginning of 2020. Both are well known in the anime space. LiSA has worked on a number of opening and closing songs, including some for Demon Slayer. Meanwhile, Suzuki has voiced plenty of popular characters over the years.
LiSA announced she’d be taking a hiatus around the same time as Suzuki. Reports suggest the pair were dealing with marital issues at the time.
Per Anime News Network, Weekly Bunshun claimed Suzuki was engaged in an extramarital affair with a colleague. Such reports are unconfirmed at the time of this writing, and neither party has publicly commented on them.
Of course, that hasn’t stopped discussions from cropping up online. Most outlets attribute Suzuki’s recasting to the controversy surrounding his personal life. He’s dropped other roles due to his hiatus as well, exiting anime like Ultraman and The Misfit of Demon King Academy. However, he will continue to provide the voice for Makoto Tachibana in Free!
Whatever the reasons behind Suzuki’s departure, Tokyo Revengers seems poised to move forward without him. The series is already hyping up its next arc, which may arrive sometime in 2022.
‘Tokyo Revengers’ is working on its Christmas Showdown Arc
Despite having to recast Draken, Tokyo Revengers announced its Christmas Showdown Arc recently, suggesting the anime is still chugging full steam ahead. There’s currently no word on who might replace Tatsuhisa Suzuki. However, the change doesn’t seem like it will affect the anime’s next chapter.
The trailer for the Christmas Showdown Arc promises an action-packed, suspenseful continuation of season 1’s story. It’s unclear whether it will be a film, second season, or something else entirely — but more details should come out as its release date gets closer.
Fans will also have to stay tuned for more updates about Draken’s new voice actor. In the meantime, they can rewatch Tokyo Revengers on Crunchyroll.
