The controversy surrounding Japanese artist Gaou continues to affect the light novel industry, specifically Kadokawa. Gaou was the illustrator for the I May Be a Guild Receptionist, But I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time and Welcome to the Outcast’s Restaurant! light novel series. It was recently reported that the artist was allegedly engaging in sexual misconduct with a minor. Anime News Network covered the allegation extensively, with Gaou being accused of dating a young girl when she was only 14. The publishers for I May Be a Guild Receptionist and Welcome to the Outcast’s RestaurantDengeki Bunko and Overlap Bunko, separately announced that Gaou has been removed as illustrator for both novel series.
Dengeki Bunko is affiliated with Kadokawa Future Publishing, a division of Kadokawa Corporation, one of the largest Japanese multimedia companies. There were already claims that Dengeki Bunko and Overlap Bunko would replace Gaou’s existing artwork for the already released volumes. However, Kadokawa shared a press release to reveal that it intends to recall all eight of the existing novels for I May Be a Guild Receptionistto republish the series under a new artist. This is the first time Kadokawa has directly referenced the controversy, confirming what they know about Gaou is true, and apologizing to the readers for what transpired. An anime adaptation of I May Be a Guild Receptionist recently finished airing its 12-episode run in March 2025.
Kadokawa Drops Controversial Artist Gaou
Gaou was a prolific artist, drawing the official crossover piece with I May Be a Guild Receptionist and Sword Art Online Alternative Gun Gale Online. Based on the Anime News Network report, Gaou was exposed on a livestream hosted by “expose YouTuber” KoreKore, who supposedly brought in Gaou’s alleged victim. The alleged victim states she was 14 when her relationship with Gaou began, but is 17 now, with their relationship only having recently ended. Certain parts of the stream were bleeped out due to the victim’s age, but KoreKore clarifies the person’s age on their social media. Someone claiming to be Gaou was on the livestream, apologizing for his actions and claiming he will retire from being an illustrator.
Current information points to Gaou’s age being close to late 30s, meaning he was over twenty years older than his alleged victim when he began a relationship with her. The age of consent in Japan was raised from 13 to 16 in June 2023, but certain sexual acts with someone under the age of 18 are considered a crime, despite the legal age. Gaou hasn’t been the only recent perpetrator of sexual action against a younger female victim in the Japanese entertainment industry. Toru Furuya, a popular Japanese voice-over artist, admitted to having an affair with an unnamed fan for 4.5 years and even being abusive towards her.
Our thoughts and sympathies are with Gaou’s alleged victim.
H / T: Anime News Network, Kill, was stock
