Danica Davidson
July 20, 2021 
Last week Ghost in the Shell Arise and Appleseed: Ex Machina composer Keigo Oyamada was tapped do the music for the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. Oyamada, who also uses the stage name Cornelius, then faced criticism for bullying back in his schooldays. He boasted about the bullying during some interviews he gave in the mid-90s, when he was an adult. The criticism came from what he said there about his actions, as he still seemed proud of them.
The bullying included making someone eat excrement, tying someone up naked and making them masturbate, and locking up a disabled person. One of the interviews has him laughing while talking about these things, saying, “I just offered up the ideas.”
Last Friday, he had a different take on the bullying, and said, “I feel deep regret and responsibility for not being a good friend and for being on the side causing hurt. It is true that I spoke without remorse about my heartless remarks and actions against classmates and people with disabilities in neighboring schools when I was a student.”
Oyamada put in his resignation and it was accepted by the International Olympic Committee.
Source: ANN
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, and its sequel, Manga Art for Intermediates, with professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
