Popular Japanese artist Gaou, who is married, recently faced accusations from Japanese whistleblower influencer Korekore during a live stream regarding inappropriate sexual conduct with underage girls. The revelations have shocked his fanbase.
Given Gaou's extensive work as an illustrator, publisher KADOKAWA issued an announcement on July 23rd. Addressing the controversy surrounding Gaou, the company has decided to recall and discontinue physical copies of multiple publications he contributed to, as well as remove all digital versions from sale.
Gaou primarily works as an illustrator, with his portfolio including light novels such as "Though I Am a Guild Receptionist, I Will Solo the Boss of the Dungeon Because I Don't Want to Work Overtime" and "Hallelujah Vamp." He is also the character designer for popular VTubers Minato Aqua, Yuuki Konoha, Mochizuki Himari, and Hourei TenTen, having been highly active for the past decade.
Following the exposé, the accuser stated that they had sexual relations twice, at ages 14 and 17. The two initially met on X (formerly Twitter) and developed a relationship through gaming. The accuser later discovered that Gaou was married with children. They ultimately decided to reveal the incidents after Gaou broke up with them, citing that he "couldn't forget his ex-girlfriend."
It was also alleged that the name of a female character in one of Gaou's doujinshi works matched the name of the underage girl in real life, leading to suspicions that the doujinshi content was based on his actual experiences. These claims were later confirmed by Gaou himself during a live appearance on Korekore's stream, where he admitted to the allegations, stating that it would be difficult for him to continue his activities as an illustrator.
In response to the matter, KADOKAWA stated that they had confirmed the reported details with Gaou, and Gaou himself admitted that the allegations were true. The company had already decided to replace him as an illustrator for his ongoing projects and has now announced further corresponding measures.
For the work "Though I Am a Guild Receptionist, I Will Solo the Boss of the Dungeon Because I Don't Want to Work Overtime," the illustrator will be replaced. Furthermore, all physical copies of the original version illustrated by Gaou will be recalled and discontinued, and the digital version will be entirely removed from sale.
Additionally, his art book and other works will be handled similarly:
Gaou's Personal Art Book "Selfe Girl Gaou Art Collection": Physical copies recalled, digital version removed from sale
Manga series "Hallelujah Vamp" (all 3 digital volumes): Entirely removed from sale
KADOKAWA formally issued an apology, stating: "We deeply apologize for the significant trouble caused to our readers, original author Mato Kousaka-sensei, staff involved in the books, bookstores, distributors, e-book platforms, anime production committees, and licensing partners."
As a result of this incident, some works illustrated by Gaou may terminate their collaboration with him. Given the circumstances, Japanese society is unlikely to accept an individual who has committed sexual misconduct with minors and engaged in infidelity. This situation has caused considerable shock to his works, the fans of the VTubers he designed, publishers, and the broader creative community.