With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today .
A Dragon Ball voice actor loses his appeal of his sexual harassment defamation suit
Voice actor Vic Mignogna attends the premiere of <em>Dragon Ball Super: Broly</em> in December 2018 in Hollywood, California.
(
Rich Fury
/
Getty Images for Funimation
)
Voice-over actor Vic Mignogna lost his appeal in a defamation suit he filed that has put a spotlight on sexual harassment in the Japanese animation industry.
Mignogna has been a well-known English voice in anime for over two decades, starring in popular series including Fullmetal Alchemist and Dragon Ball. In 2019, his work came to a halt after a series of sexual misconduct allegations against him surfaced on the internet.
That year, Mignogna sued his former employer, two women who accused him of inappropriate behavior and the partner of one of the women. His grievances, including defamation and tortious interference, were later dismissed by a Texas judge.
Mignogna appealed the decision. But on Thursday, the 2nd Court of Appeals in Fort Worth upheld the ruling and ordered Mignogna to pay at least $250,000 in attorney fees to the four defendants — Funimation, Jamie Marchi, Monica Rial and Ron Toye. (That figure could be higher because the amount owed to Rial and Toye is being redetermined by the courts.)
Support for LAist comes from
On Thursday evening, Rial, a voice actor who was one of the two women sued by Mignogna, wrote on Twitter, "#Itsover."
"I wanted to thank all of you for your love and support. I have been a part of the anime community for 23 years and I love it. Here's to moving forward, healing, and celebrating anime!" she added.
Mignogna's lawyer, Ty Beard, did not respond to NPR's request for comment.
What happened
In January 2019, allegations of sexual misconduct against Mignogna came to a head following the premiere of his film Dragon Ball Super: Broly.
The voice actor quickly denied any allegations of sexual harassment or sexual assault. "My heart weeps for anyone who endures a violation of this kind, so to be accused of harming others in this way....I have no words," he posted on Twitter.
But by the following month, Rooster Teeth, a production company, cut ties with Mignogna and removed him from the cast of RWBY, an anime-style web show. Funimation, an entertainment company, also conducted an internal investigation and fired Mignogna by early February 2019. Several anime conventions also canceled Mignogna's appearances.
Support for LAist comes from
Around the same time, Marchi and Rial, prominent voice actors, came forward separately about disturbing experiences with Mignogna. Both of them said they felt compelled to speak up after learning they were not the only ones.
"My experience is minor in comparison to many others; however, having realized this wasn't an isolated incident, I felt compelled to share," Marchi wrote on Twitter in February 2019.
Amid a three-year legal battle, Mignogna has slowly returned to the industry. Last year, he and Anime Matsuri, a convention held in Houston, partnered to open a dubbing studio. The announcement received some backlash, but the voice actor continues to have a staunch fan following.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. 9(MDA1OTI3MjQ5MDEyODUwMTE2MzM1YzNmZA004))
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Immigration raids have caused some U.S. citizens to carry their passports to the store, to school or to work. But what documents to have on you depends on your citizenship. -
The historic properties have been sitting vacant for decades and were put on the market as-is, with prices ranging from $750,000 to $1.75 million. -
Users of the century old Long Beach wooden boardwalk give these suggestions to safely enjoy it. -
The Newport Beach City Council approved a new artificial surf park that will replace part of an aging golf course. -
The utility, whose equipment is believed to have sparked the Eaton Fire, says payouts could come as quickly as four months after people submit a claim. But accepting the money means you'll have to forego any lawsuits. -
The City Council will vote Tuesday on a proposal to study raising the pay for construction workers on apartments with at least 10 units and up to 85 feet high.
Best of LAist