Yakuza Kiwami 3 director says actor accused of sexual assault was cast for his “slimy feel”

"We tried to think of someone who makes you go, 'This guy's a creep,' naturally it was Kagawa"

Image credit: Sega

Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties' director Ryosuke Horii has addressed the controversial casting of actor Teruyuki Kagawa in the remake, which has resulted in fan backlash due to a 2022 report from Shukan Shincho detailing sexual assault allegations against the actor. Kagawa apologised at the time, but didn't specify what he was apologising for or confirm the events reported in Shukan Shincho's article.

Speaking about Kagawa's casting as Kiwami 3 secondary antagonist Goh Hamazaki in an interview with Japanese site GAME Watch, which IGN have subsequently translated, Horii said the following:

Hamazaki is a sleazy, persistent, and militant yakuza, right? Since he isn't an explosive character like Kanda, when we tried to think of someone who makes you go, "This guy's a creep," naturally it was Kagawa – that was the main factor. Kagawa's acting is fun to watch. Even when he's chopping a pig's feet off with a chef's knife, it has a slimy feel. That feeling permeates his performance, so it brings a freshness to the scene and made it feel really fun.

The RGG Studio developer also added that not recasting characters like Hamazaki and Rikiya Shimabukuro - the latter a key ally of Kiwami 3 protagonist Kazuma Kiryu, played in the new version of the game by Show Kasamatsu - would have "certainly be safer" in terms of avoiding "online criticism". However, Horii said, RGG "felt there was no use being afraid".

As of writing, Horii's comments are the only response RGG Studio have made to the backlash against Kagawa's casting in the remake. Publishers Sega declined to provide a statement on the matter when approached for comment by RPS last month. I've reached out to Sega for comment again in light of Horii's comments.

As of writing, a fan petition calling for Kagawa to be removed from his role as Goh Hamazaki in Yakuza Kiwami 3 has amassed just under 10,000 signatures. The remake is set to release later this week.