Illustrator Gaou has been removed from his roles on the light novel series Welcome to the Outcast’s Restaurant! and I May Be a Guild Receptionist, But I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time following serious allegations. Publishers Dengeki Bunko and Overlap Bunko issued separate announcements on July 1 and 2, 2025, respectively, confirming his departure.
The decision comes after Gaou reportedly admitted during a livestream on June 29, 2025, to having a sexual relationship with a minor. During the same broadcast, he also reportedly stated that he “has no choice but to retire” from his work as an illustrator.
Impact on the Light Novel Series
Gaou was the original illustrator for Yūki Kimikawa’s Welcome to the Outcast’s Restaurant! and Mato Kousaka’s I May Be a Guild Receptionist, But I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time. Both series are widely recognized, with Welcome to the Outcast’s Restaurant! having an anime adaptation that premiered on July 3, 2025.
Overlap Bunko has confirmed that they will be replacing Gaou’s illustrations in existing volumes of Welcome to the Outcast’s Restaurant!. Dengeki Bunko is currently in discussions regarding the handling of existing volumes for I May Be a Guild Receptionist, But I’ll Solo Any Boss to Clock Out on Time. Both publishers have stated that new illustrators for each series will be announced once decisions have been finalized.
Broader Repercussions for Gaou’s Work
The repercussions of the allegations have extended beyond the light novel industry. DMM Games’ EXNOA company, for whom Gaou had designed characters for their Girls Creation role-playing game, announced on June 30, 2025, that he is no longer involved in the game’s development. The company also indicated the possibility of changing some character designs in the game that were contributed by him.
Furthermore, Gaou’s name has been removed from the official website and X (formerly Twitter) account for the anime adaptation of Welcome to the Outcast’s Restaurant!. Promotional videos for the anime, which were temporarily removed on June 30, 2025, have since been reposted. Gaou is known for his work on various light novel illustrations, card games like Rage of Bahamut and Cardfight!! Vanguard, and popular VTuber designs, including Minato Aqua.
