Major manga artists withdraw work after publisher rehires sexual offender

Image: Madhouse/ Mimei Amoume

A major scandal is currently sending shockwaves through the manga industry, prompting several high-profile creators to pull their titles from Manga One, the digital platform owned by Shogakukan. The controversy erupted following revelations that the publishing giant, one of Japan’s most influential houses, covertly rehired a convicted sex offender to work on new projects under a pseudonym.

Shoichi Yamamoto, the creator behind Dakuten Sakusen, was arrested in 2020 for the repeated sexual abuse of a minor. The victim was a student at a school where Yamamoto served as a part-time art instructor. By February 2026, he was convicted and ordered to pay 11 million yen (approximately $71,000) in damages. At the time of his initial arrest, Shogakukan ended Dakuten Sakusen, publicly attributing the cancellation to the author’s “poor health.”

However, it has come to light that Shogakukan brought Yamamoto back into the fold in 2022. Using the alias Hajime Ichiro, he was commissioned to write the series Jojin Kamen, illustrated by Eri Tsuruyoshi. According to reports from the Mainichi Shimbun, Manga One editors were fully aware of Yamamoto’s criminal history. Furthermore, they allegedly participated in settlement negotiations that would have pressured the victim into signing a non-disclosure agreement regarding the abuse. The failure of these talks eventually led to the recent court conviction.

In response to the outcry, Manga One issued an official apology on February 27. The statement was largely dismissed by the public as insufficient, failing to explain how such a rehiring occurred. On February 28, Shogakukan released a more comprehensive address and confirmed that the distribution of Jojin Kamen has been terminated.

The backlash from the creative community has been swift. Renowned authors, including ONE (One-Punch Man, Mob Psycho 100), have publicly condemned the publisher. Several legendary artists have opted to remove their works from the Manga One app in a show of solidarity, including Rumiko Takahashi (Inuyasha), Kanehito Yamada (Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End), and Ryuhei Tamura (Cosmos).

While the manga world has faced similar scandals—such as the 2017 child pornography charges against Rurouni Kenshin author Nobuhiro Watsuki—the current climate is markedly different. In Watsuki’s case, his series resumed shortly after the incident, and many industry peers continued to support him. In contrast, the current reaction to Yamamoto’s case highlights a growing demand for accountability.

Though some major figures, such as Detective Conan creator Gosho Aoyama, have yet to speak on the matter, the pressure on Shogakukan’s management continues to mount. The publisher has admitted to a “grave lack of human rights awareness and compliance.” To address the fallout, Shogakukan has pledged to form an independent investigative committee to scrutinize the editorial involvement in both the serialization and the failed settlement talks, promising strict disciplinary measures and new protocols to prevent future occurrences.

Update: Further details have surfaced regarding Shogakukan’s history of rehiring offenders. Tatsuya Matsuki, the writer of Act-Age who was convicted of indecent acts against a middle school student in 2020, was reportedly hired by Shogakukan in 2024. Writing under the name Yatsunami Miki, he worked on The Counselor through the Years and Stars. Shogakukan confirmed that both the editorial team and the series’ artist were aware of Matsuki’s true identity from the start.

Source: Polygon