This feels
like déjà vu of the ugly. Just a few months after trying to
get back to its usual rhythm, Kenichi Suzumura's body has said
"enough." The Intention agency confirmed on Thursday
that the actor has had to suspend all his professional activities indefinitely,
leaving several of the most important characters in current anime up in the
air, including the Pillar of the Serpent in Demon Slayer.
What
worries fans the most is that it is not a simple exhaustion. The statement was
quite clear in noting that doctors have diagnosed him with adjustment
disorder, a condition that requires absolute rest and zero stress.
Basically, Suzumura is forbidden from approaching a recording booth until his
mental and physical health is fully stabilized, and no one knows how long that
will take.
Details
of the diagnosis and future of its characters
The
situation is delicate because Suzumura is literally the boss (he founded his
agency in 2009) and one of the actors with the highest workload in the
industry. Already in May 2024 he had to take a break, but returned after two
months, probably before he was 100% ready. This relapse confirms that forcing
the machine was not a good idea. For now, Intention has been categorical: the
priority is its recovery, not the release schedule.
The timing
couldn't be more critical. Suzumura has just won an award at the Seiyuu
Awards for her role in Brave Bang Bravern! and has
the heaviest work of her recent career pending: Kimetsu no Yaiba's Infinite
Castle films, where her character, Obanai Iguro, is the
absolute protagonist. If his leave is extended, studios will have to make tough
decisions, but the actor's health should always come first.
About
Kenichi Suzumura
We are
talking about a true living legend. In addition to being the sadistic Sogo
Okita in Gintama (a generation-defining role),
Suzumura has been the voice of Shinn Asuka in the Gundam franchise
and Masato Hijirikawa in Uta no Prince-sama. Her
range is brutal and her absence will leave a very awkward silence in the coming
anime seasons.
