The most recent episode of No. 1 Sentai Gozyuger surprised viewers by completely eliminating the actress's appearances Maya Imamoriwho was removed from the cast and her representation agency after it was confirmed that she consumed alcohol as a minor. Episode 37, broadcast on Sunday, introduced the heroine Sumino Ichikawa (Gozyu Unicorn) with her voice replaced by the voice actress Ayaka Maekawa.
According to ANN staff in Japan, Imamori does not appear in any scenes of the episode, not even in the recaps or opening sequences. The opening theme was also modified, replacing the fragments where his face appeared with images of the characters in their masked costumes.
Production adjusts scenes and removes trailer for next episode
in the franchise Super Sentaithe main actors only play their characters when they are without helmets, while the stuntmen perform the action sequences inside the suits. In this case, the team carefully edited all the shots in which Imamori's face was visible. Even the preview for episode 37, shown the previous week, was modified to omit its scenes.
The episode concluded without the usual preview of the next chapter, reinforcing the emergency adjustments made in post-production. These changes come after the actress was officially removed from the project and her agency announced the termination of her contract.
Maya Imamori apologizes after controversy
Imamori, from 19 years and about to turn 20 in March, he published a message on his Instagram account in which he acknowledged his mistake and expressed his regret: “My actions were unacceptable. I deeply regret having disappointed my colleagues and everyone who supported me. I will reflect on my decisions so as not to further betray the trust placed in me.”
The young actress was part of the main cast of the installment that commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Super Sentai Franchiseknown internationally as the base for Power Rangers. For now, Toei has not confirmed whether his character will be permanently replaced or removed from the story entirely.
