Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and Sega have been under immense pressure from fans regarding the recasting of a character in Yakuza Kiwami 3.
One of the game's main antagonists, Goh Hamazaki, was recast for Kiwami 3, with RGG Studio replacing the original actor George Takahashi with Teruyuki Kagawa. The prominent Japanese actor is lending both his voice and likeness to Hamazaki, with the new-look "Emperor of Hama" appearing in a new trailer focused on the Japanese voice cast.
However, Kagawa was accused of forcibly touching a woman in 2019, with the story reported by Japanese media in 2022. A month after the initial reporting, Kagawa admitted to sexual misconduct.
According to the magazine Shukan Shincho, Kagawa forcibly groped the breasts of a woman working at a club in 2019, before kissing her, removing her bra and passing it along to others. Kagawa's subsequent admission of guilt was unspecific.
Since September's reveal, fans have been calling on Sega to remove Kagawa from Kiwami 3. The '#REMOVEKAGAWA' slogan has become constant in the comments section of every promotional piece for the game, with both Japanese and international fans taking up the cause.
However, the prominent appearance of Kagawa in Yakuza Kiwami...
