Hidekazu Tanaka, a Japanese composer who worked on music for Aikatsu and The Idolmaster: Cinderella Girls, has been arrested for attempting to indecently assault a girl. According to investigators, he forcibly tried to grab a girl’s hands while saying sexual words to her. Tanaka is 35 years old, and the victim is in her ‘tens.’ This could result in an incarceration for eleven to nineteen years. [Thanks, NHK!]
The incident occurred in the Meguro district of Tokyo during August 2022. The actual assault took place at the bicycle parking area near a subway station. Afterwards, the girl went to a police station and reported Tanaka, which caused the police to look into the case. As they investigated, they found security camera footage from the subway station showing Tanaka following her. It is unclear if Tanaka and the victim knew each other beforehand.
Tanaka was a member of the music production company MONACA until he went freelance in 2021. He composed and arranged songs such as “Silent Star” for Uma Musume Pretty Derby and “Slow Life Fantasy” for The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls: Starlight Stage. He also worked on anime such as Servant x Service, Working!!!, and Scorching Ping Pong Girls.
The police arrested Hidekazu Tanaka on October 24, 2022 and are still looking into the matter.
