Scalding sake: Itagaki charged with sexual harassment (by real woman)
"Hey baby, can I buy you a drink?""I don't think so."
"You just performed a ten-hit combo ... on my heart."
"Oh dear lord."
"I wanna put you in a counter hold of love."
"Physical violence. I'm strongly considering it."
"Do you kick high?"
The lead developer of the Dead or Alive series and the forthcoming ball jostling, highbrow-raising epic, Dead or Alive Xtreme 2, has been charged with sexual harassment. This one practically writes itself. In the interest of readability and undeniably smug tone, however, rest assured that a human being (more or less) has written all the text that follows. As if drinking on the job and speaking ill of competitors wasn't enough to convince you that Tomonobu Itagaki was a complete failure at being a Japanese stereotype, you may now append "allegedly harasses female ex-employees" to the list (and then note how much better that is than "harasses ex-female employees").
According to Japan's ZakZak and Gamebrink, the Dead or Alive mastermind has been slapped with a 10 million yen ($85,000) sexual harassment charge by a woman claiming to have endured and dodged his wily hands for the duration of her employment between 2003 and September 2006. Itagaki has admitted to having the relationship (much to the chagrin of his wife and kids, no doubt) but insists that the supposed mammary molestation was completely consensual. The reports also imply that Itagaki has been demoted within Team Ninja, a move which could be interpreted as a slap on the wrist or a swift shove out of the spotlight.
It looks like the latter tactic hasn't been very effective thus far.
[Via Xbox 360 Fanboy]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
crono141 @ Nov 7th 2006 3:17PM
LOL, so thats where the jubblies physics is DOA comes from!
fyreblazer @ Nov 7th 2006 3:19PM
Those breast physics in Dead Or Alive Xtreme 2 aren't going to code themselves. What better way then to check out the real things?!
Candy Pants @ Nov 7th 2006 3:20PM
what the fuck is up with that dudes face
obo @ Nov 7th 2006 3:34PM
Wow... holy crap, the dollar is weak. I remember when 100-1 was the rule.
Tom @ Nov 7th 2006 3:37PM
Lets not jump the gun.For all we know,he kicked her to the curb and now shes tring to get back at him.
Seifer @ Nov 7th 2006 3:41PM
Why am I not surprised?
Brandon @ Nov 7th 2006 3:47PM
#6, He admits to having the relationship. Does that mean anything to you?
JodyAnthony @ Nov 7th 2006 3:49PM
#8, he admits to having a CONSENSUAL relationship.
shirizaki @ Nov 7th 2006 3:50PM
What's next?
"Itagaki cuts throats!"
comments?
"He's practicing Ninja physics!"
BPM? @ Nov 7th 2006 3:51PM
"Wow... holy crap, the dollar is weak. I remember when 100-1 was the rule."
While it is true that the US Dollar is getting weaker, it's still a stronger currency than the Japanese Yen.
If 10 million Yen is equal to 85 thousand US Dollars, then that means the Dollar is worth more than the Yen.
The current exchange rate is:
1 JPY = 0.00849796 USD
1 USD = 117.675 JPY
( source: www.xe.com )
If $1.00 = ¥100, then it would mean the Yen and US Dollar were equal in economic strength.
JimmyHACK @ Nov 7th 2006 3:56PM
he should just pay up..
no need in fighting it....
just an acne scarred perv...
surely he has a decent amount of money to get a girl that would want his nasty self
Chris @ Nov 7th 2006 4:04PM
Not defending the guy, cause he's probably guilty, but being the creator of one of the most sexually fueled video games makes him an easy target if someone was setting him up.
Seems like any woman just working at Team Ninja could sue the entire company for sexual harrassment.
On that note, I have my DOAX2 pre-ordered!!
shase @ Nov 7th 2006 4:04PM
Wonder how "hot" that girl was.. not too many hot girls work developing games... But its her fault for "enduring" that many years.. she'll probably lose the case.
32_Footsteps @ Nov 7th 2006 4:24PM
And shase wins the award for the first "Blame the victim" post.
Sexual harassment is not the victim's fault because they didn't report it immediately. In most cases (as it appears in this one), the harasser is in a position of power, and the harasser effectively uses blackmail (put up with this or lose your job/lose your relationship/etc.) to keep the victim silent.
And if he seriously wanted research on how the female breasts move, I'd like to point out that strippers are much cheaper and less problematic than sexual harassment suits.
aldo @ Nov 7th 2006 4:53PM
32_footsteps, he has a wife, which is even less problematic and cheaper than a stripper :) just throwing that in there :)
Tom_The_Gangster @ Nov 7th 2006 5:00PM
Shit nucka, theres no such thing as sexual harrassment when it comes to everybody's favorite ninja. He can get any woman anywhere, this bitch is just mad he dropped her like the poor ho she is after having his way with her. Itigaki FO LIFE!!!!
Charron @ Nov 7th 2006 5:01PM
aldo:
Sounds like you don't have a wife. :)
Josh @ Nov 7th 2006 5:04PM
I wonder why no one could see something like this coming? Anyway, at least he had ... the balls ... to admit to doing something, although he did say it was consensual, which remains to be seen. But seeing as how he was the designer for so many of these games, what could he have been demoted to? And if he is no longer a designer, who is taking over?
As a side note, referring to some earlier comments here, the yen right now is pretty weak, so that's why a standard 6800 yen game (or at least it was standard) is now about $57, and not $65.
StoneGold @ Nov 7th 2006 5:05PM
Aldo, you're obviously not married.
In any case, I'm guessing it's hard for us to guess who's going to win, none of us really knowing the facts of the case, and even worse, not having a clue how sexual harassment works in the Japanese legal system. Really, who even knew they had it?
crono141 @ Nov 7th 2006 5:05PM
"aldo:
Sounds like you don't have a wife."
Sounds like you have a cold wife :)
crono141 @ Nov 7th 2006 5:07PM
Jeez,
So many married people have crappy sex lives. I must be very lucky :)
aldo @ Nov 7th 2006 5:14PM
Nope not married :) still in high school...
I do agree that "he had ... the balls ... to admit to doing something" But I am not sure what she is suing him over for? Did he rape her? I just don't see why she would sue over "supposed mammary molestation"
crono141 @ Nov 7th 2006 5:23PM
"I just don't see why she would sue over "supposed mammary molestation"
Well, if your ugly female boss at work insisted on fondling your package every other morning, and told you to keep your mouth shut or she'd fire you, wouldn't you sue as well?
aldo @ Nov 7th 2006 6:29PM
Nope, I really wouldn't care, ( I'd probably end up sueing anyways ... how do you spell sueing? )
They should make a CSI episode on this... lol
Scott @ Nov 7th 2006 7:59PM
Crono,
Are you coming onto me?
JonnyFitness @ Nov 7th 2006 9:07PM
who didn't see that coming?
navstar @ Nov 7th 2006 9:23PM
That's not very much money to sue for (considering it's 3 years of harassment)
crono141 @ Nov 7th 2006 9:48PM
Umm... no.
Because I have a hot wife. Who likes sex. Alot.
gabur @ Nov 8th 2006 9:29AM
What's wrong with most of you people ?
There is a woman harassed and you are happy with it or think he is a victim of a plot against video games ???
HE IS A BIG ASSHOLE, A PERV and make this woman quit her job and I'm sure her life wasn't happy during 3 years dodging this weirdo.
So, just show some consideration for his victim rather than stupid comments !
Aughndibi @ Nov 8th 2006 10:58AM
It's a shame, but really, I'm not all that surprised. Though I respect him for making one of my favorite series of fighting games, he is and always has been kind of an arrogant pervert. Oh well.
Silent Scream @ Nov 8th 2006 11:29AM
You know, these comments are a good example of why there are so many lawyers around.
#30 "What's wrong with most of you people ?
There is a woman harassed and you are happy with it or think he is a victim of a plot against video games ???
HE IS A BIG ASSHOLE, A PERV and make this woman quit her job and I'm sure her life wasn't happy during 3 years dodging this weirdo.
So, just show some consideration for his victim rather than stupid comments !"
So, just by reading this article, you have come to the final decision that he is "A BIG ASSHOLE, A PERV"? You know, the thought that people like yourself are out there should be enough to make the crime rate in this country drop. Imagine a jury of people just like yourself judging you at trial.
Attorney 1: "You are guilty of sexual harassment and touching this woman inappropriately, true or false?"
Accused: "Absolutely false. It was a consensual relationship."
Attorney 1: "Well, let me ask you this....were you inside the same office building as her?"
Accused: "Of course..I work there."
Jury of "educated" peers: "Guilty! He's guilty! Hang him!"
Think before you speak. He never confessed to the crime. In fact, he denied it. What he admitted to was a consensual relationship. If I were to use your way of thinking right now, I could say you are a total idiot just based off of your opinion you gave. However, I would never jump to such a conclusion because there are many other things to consider and I don't even know you. Unless you were there with them when this allegedly happened, how can you side one way or the other so enthusiastically?
The guy is one weird-looking dude, I admit that. But saying that he's guilty because he makes the suggestive video games he does only makes you sound EXACTLY like Jack Thompson, as he blames real-world violence on video games. Hypocrisy draws a fine line, and you, sir, are leaning over it with that post.
Just my $.02, as always.
something_something_parasol @ Nov 9th 2006 4:05AM
yeah, he always seemed skeevy to me. I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley, that's for sure.
It's rare for women in Japan to complain about sexual harassment. No one takes them seriously. Temco already said they wouldn't deal with her complaints.
BATZARRO @ Nov 9th 2006 9:43AM
Easy, there, Gabur. You weren't there, so you don't know. None of us do. I wouldn't put my head in the cutter to defend the guy, but absolutely AFFIRMING his guilt is a wee bit premature. Is it impossible that it is a frivolous suit? Has it not happened before? Is three years not enought time to take action? Is Itagaki not an easy target for such a thing?(I picture the trial having All DOA games as proof)Take all of this in acount before you say "HE IS A BIG ASSHOLE, A PERV and make this woman quit her job and I'm sure her life wasn't happy during 3 years dodging this weirdo." As I said, I wouldn't put my hands in the fire for no one: not for my barber, not for my father and not for one of my favorite game designer. There is a distinct possibility he did it. But alas, proof is needed.