An X user, who had previously accused Federico Antonio Russo (FAR), co-founder of animation studio Buta Productions, of grooming, has formally retracted those allegations. The user, Maryco, stated in a new post that she had "involuntarily had ended up embellishing, warping details of my narration as well as adding totally incorrect information." She has also apologized for the commotion caused.
Maryco's initial accusations, posted on X and since deleted, claimed FAR began grooming her when she was 14 and he was 23. The subsequent retraction has significant implications for ongoing projects. The anime adaptation of Sakura Kurihara's yuri manga Let Me Fix You (Kimi o Tsumugu), a collaboration between Dokico and Buta Productions, was directly impacted. The anime's staff had stated they were unaware of the accusations and needed time to determine the project's future without Buta Productions and FAR.
Following the retraction, Dokico confirmed that Buta Productions and FAR are no longer involved with the Let Me Fix You anime. Dokico will continue to lead the project's planning and communication. Meanwhile, Buta Productions issued a statement indicating the company will cease operations after this incident, with FAR moving on. The company also mentioned analyzing the situation with their legal team to potentially sue the accuser for defamation.
Adding to the fallout, former Buta Productions staff have reorganized into an informal entity named Ponbleu. This group stated they are operating to fulfill prior client obligations without FAR's involvement. Buta Productions had previously been involved as a subcontractor on notable anime such as One Piece and Bocchi the Rock!.
Source: Maryco's X/Twitter account
