SMAP Blackout Controversy: The Hidden Story Behind Goro Inagaki’s Image on 13 Assassins Packaging

Recently, the SMAP photo blackout in the re-broadcast of Fuji TV’s drama Furuhata Ninzaburo sparked controversy.

 

A producer responsible for drama production at a major network commented.

 

“Reports suggested that the issue was due to complex rights matters concerning SMAP or considerations for Takuya Kimura, who remained with the agency. However, the situation is simpler: for re-broadcasts, we need to obtain permission from the participants. Although this is rare, it is a well-known practice.

 

For instance, a popular veteran actress, when she was just starting her career, appeared partially nude in a drama. It is said that this drama will never be re-broadcast. Even if the actress has passed away, if permission was not granted while she was alive, the re-broadcast cannot proceed.” 

 

In the case of SMAP, as you know, it was a five-member group. As mentioned earlier, for a re-broadcast, permission must be obtained from all members. However, even if all members grant permission, it can still be problematic if the group as a whole does not approve. Episodes of Furuhata Ninzaburo featuring SMAP have previously not been re-broadcasted for this reason. 

“As you can infer, this is after the group disbanded. It’s easy to assume that the Johnny & Associates agency at the time did not grant approval. Since SMAP no longer exists and the agency that granted permission back then is also gone, there is no one to consult. Therefore, it is likely that no one will touch on SMAP-related matters in the future.

The late Mery Kitagawa reportedly said she would never forgive the managers who left the agency to start a new one with the three departing members. Consequently, the remaining stakeholders will probably respect that intention.” (producer) 

One of those three, Goro Inagaki, also felt the repercussions. This involved the film 13 Assassins, where the situation was similar to the “SMAP photo blackout” incident. 

 

“In the 2010 film, Goro Inagaki portrayed a heinous daimyo and received widespread acclaim. It is extremely rare for Johnny’s talents to play villains, and even if they do, they are typically portrayed as either noble thieves or redeemable characters. Inagaki was the first to take on a role as a purely irredeemable villain.

 

Moreover, his character’s demise, which involves having his head severed and rolling into a latrine, concluded the film in a scene that seemed to elicit screams from his fans. The intensity of his performance was so extreme that even those outside Johnny’s fandom questioned if it was acceptable. Inagaki’s acting skills received a significant boost in reputation as a result.” (film magazine editor)

The film was released on DVD a year later, with a cover featuring the main cast, including Inagaki, who appears in a white nightgown with a somewhat possessed expression.

The Blu-ray version was also released and has seen several reprints. Despite this, used copies are still available online, but for some reason, Inagaki’s part is blacked out on major e-commerce sites. When contacted, the distributor, Cedric International Co., Ltd., stated:

“Since the initial release to the present, the design of the package has not changed at all. Inagaki-san’s image remains as it was.”

The distributor responded.

In response to an inquiry made to the major e-commerce site, the site stated.

 

“We do not process or alter images of products listed by sellers based on our judgement.”

 

This raises the question of what might be causing the discrepancy.

 

“When DVD packages are listed online, it is common for images of Inagaki-san to be blacked out following his departure from the former Johnny’s agency. However, there are some instances where the images are published without alterations. It’s possible that the agency issued a no-go directive to the distributors to remove Inagaki-san’s image.” (expert in online sales)

 

An inquiry was made to the distributor of the film, Toho Co., Ltd., but no response was received by the deadline. When contacted, Inagaki’s agency, CULEN, responded with:

 

“We were unaware of this.”

 

Regarding potential future actions, they added.

 

“This is not something we can address.”

 

This situation may reflect unresolved issues lingering from the former Johnny’s agency.

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