On 27 February, Japanese publisher Shogakukan announced that it had suspended the distribution of the manga series Jojin Kamen on their digital manga platform MangaONE. The editorial team publicly acknowledged that the story writer of Jojin Kamen, who used the pen name Hajime Ichiro, is the same individual as Shoichi Yamamoto, the creator of the manga Daten Sakusen who had previously been involved in a legal case.
In the past few days, it was revealed that both Hajime Ichiro and Shoichi Yamamoto are pseudonyms used by Kazuaki Kurita, a manga artist who worked as a part-time art teacher in Hokkaido between 2016 and 2019. According to investigative notes written by Eno Sumi, another manga artist who also works on MangaONE, Kurita allegedly used his position as both an educator and professional mangaka to psychologically manipulate a student.
The victim was reportedly one of Kurita’s students and was 15 years old at the time. The abuse, which allegedly continued for several years, resulted in severe long-term consequences for the victim, who is now in their 20’s. They have reportedly been diagnosed with severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dissociative identity disorder (DID).
In February 2020, Kurita was arrested by the police. However, due to a lack of direct physical evidence for the alleged sexual assault, which had taken place several years earlier, authorities were only able to charge him under Japan’s child pornography laws. As a result, Kurita received a relatively light penalty of a JPY 300,000 fine (approximately USD 1.9 thousands) without imprisonment. Later, on 20 February 2026, a civil lawsuit filed by the victim resulted in a court ruling that ordered Kurita to pay compensation of 11 million yen (around USD 69.1 thousand).
MangaONE’s Involvement in the Controversy
The legal case involving Kurita in 2020 was also known to the MangaONE editorial team. At the time, the platform suspended the ongoing serialisation of his manga Daten Sakusen.
However, reports later emerged that in May 2021, a MangaONE editor named Takuya Narita allegedly attempted to approach the victim with a settlement offer of 1.5 million yen (approximately IDR 150 million). The offer reportedly required the victim to withdraw all legal claims and refrain from speaking publicly about the case. The victim rejected the proposal, and the legal proceedings continued.
Furthermore, instead of permanently terminating Kurita’s contract, MangaONE reportedly allowed him to return to work in December 2022. According to reports, the editorial team allegedly concealed his identity from the public by assigning him a new pen name, Hajime Ichiro. With this new name, Kurita was credited as the story writer for the manga Jojin Kamen.
Public Reactions
The revelations quickly sparked widespread outrage within Japan’s manga industry. ONE, the creator of One Punch Man and Mob Psycho 100, publicly criticised the situation through his personal X (formerly Twitter) account. He stated that he doesn’t want to collaborate with a company that won’t condemn sexual violence against minors. He called on all parties involved, particularly the major publisher Shogakukan, to disclose the truth transparently and ensure justice for the victim.
In response to the growing public backlash, the Japan Manga Artists Association (Nihon Mangaka Kyokai) issued an official statement 2026 expressing deep concern regarding the publisher’s alleged role in protecting a convicted offender involved in sexual misconduct.
Criticism also emerged from the political sphere. Ken Akamatsu, a member of Japan’s House of Councillors and a former manga artist, expressed concern about the situation. Sohei Kamiya, leader of the Sanseito political party, also called for an investigation by Shogakukan.
Following intense criticism from the public and social media users in Japan, Shogakukan released an official statement on 28 February 2026. The publisher confirmed that it had halted the distribution of Jojin Kamen. The company also announced the formation of an independent investigative committee, which will include legal professionals, to examine issues related to Kurita’s legal case and the publication of Jojin Kamen, including the circumstances surrounding the series’ launch and the involvement of its editors.
Shogakukan also apologised to the victim and stated that it would take strict disciplinary action where necessary. The company further pledged to establish and implement measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The Indonesian Anime Times | Source: Livedoor, Eno Sumi Note
