Voice actress Avery Smithhart (Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul) released a Google Drive file to the public including a 50-page report accusing her ex-boyfriend and fellow voice actor Mike Haimoto (Vinland Saga,Natsume’s Book of Friends) of domestic abuse and sexual assault. Her document details what she says happened between them during the course of their three-year relationship. The Google Drive file also included screenshots and documents showing proof of Haimoto’s past lies, and arguments the two have had since their break-up in early 2022.
In her report, Smithhart states that Haimoto kept her away from her friends and family, lied about his past (which she proved with a private investigator), said insulting things about those with autism after she suspected she had it, spent her money on his own things, and even sexually assaulted her after a party. He did not let her cry in front of him, and claimed to suffer from Dissociative Identity Disorder due to his pastmilitary service. Smithhart later proved he never served in the military.
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Smithhart also included several screenshots of things like police reports, arguing emails, and reports from the private investigator that she hired to make her point. She claims that Haimoto seems like a friendly and nice person, and was always kind to his coworkers, but that she often saw a different side of him behind closed doors. She wants the truth to be brought to light, however she can.
Mike Haimoto is very prominent in the anime world right now because he voices the dubbed version ofThorfinn, the leading character inVinland Saga. That puts him front-and-center in the news when it comes to anime, and also brings this accusation a lot of attention. The Google Drive file was just released last Thursday, and at the time of publishing Haimoto has not made any comment or acknowledged the accusations.
Haimoto is not the first voice actor to be accused of abuse and assault. Over the past few years, several people have stepped forward with accusations similar to these, including other voice actresses who have accused their coworkers of assault and harassment. One of the most famous ongoing cases involves Vic Mignogna,famous for his roles in the dubsof inFullmetal Alchemist,Ouran High School Host Club, andDragon Ball.
As women continue to come forward with these kinds of accusations, bringing what may have previously been kept a secret into the public eye, it is likely Haimoto and Smithhart’s case will not be the last of its kind. These women have created a space where others can come forward and be honest about what has happened to them, opening up doors in theanime industrythat always remained closed in the past. People will not be able to continue to get away with things like assault and abuse for much longer.
At this time, there have been no official comments from Haimoto,Crunchyroll, or Sentai Filmworks, who employ Haimoto and Smithhart respectively. In the coming weeks, there will likely be more to this story that comes to light, especially as the news continues to make its rounds and more people are talking about it. After Mignogna’s lawsuit, he lost his deals with Funimation, and the same fate could happen to Haimoto.
