MIGNOGNA SCANDAL
Vic Mignogna, a well-known voice actor with roles in the Bleach, Naruto and the Dragonball franchises, has recently found himself in a sexual assault scandal.
Following his recent starring role as Broly in “Dragon Ball Super: Broly,” more than 25 voice actors, cosplayers, industry professionals, convention employees and former fans emerged to share their experiences, claiming Mignogna had sexually assaulted them.
The allegations have ranged from aggressive hugs, grabs, touches, kisses and propositions to women without asking for their consent. After an immediate investigation, Mignogna was fired and released an apology via Twitter. Not long after, though, he chose to take legal action against his former employer.
“When someone is famous, these things can and will come up frequently,” said Osman Eksioglu, junior. “Many individuals are actually being harassed around the world and the issue can be hard to address depending on the situation.”
In light of the lawsuit, two movements have risen regarding Mignogna – one supporting the voice actor and another attacking him. #StandWithVic, the group seeking to prove his innocence, is the opposition to #KicVic – those who believe he must pay for any transgressions and be shunned accordingly.
“Without enough information, I’d think nothing solid can be said just yet,” said David Regal, sophomore. “Some think there might be some behind-the-scenes issues in the studio or that someone is trying to cover up something by blaming [Mignogna], but it’s hard to say right now.”
While the veracity of these allegations are still unknown, they are certain to have lasting effects on the voice actor. Claims along these lines have been known to not only hurt reputations, but the lives of their loved ones as well.
With the court case set to resume soon, fans on both sides of the issue hope to see a fair verdict reached in the near future. In the eyes of many, this forthcoming decision will likely alter the immediate future of the Japanese anime film industry.
