Previously, manga publisher Shogakukan faced public backlash for hiring and concealing the identity of Kazuaki Kurita, a manga artist who had been involved in a child sexual abuse case. Through their official social media channels, Shogakukan announced that it had halted the serialisation of Kurita’s manga Jojin Kamen and issued an apology to fans for the situation. The company also promised to investigate to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
While the investigation was still ongoing, a new report has emerged. In early March 2026, Shogakukan released an official statement confirming that they had also hired Tatsuya Matsuki, the former story writer of the manga Act-Age, who had previously been convicted in a sexual misconduct case.
Similar to Kurita, Matsuki was working under a pseudonym in Shogakukan’s online manga platform MangaONE. Using the pen name Itsuki Yatsunami, Matsuki was involved as the writer for the manga Seisou no Shinrishi (The Star Frost Psychologist).
While working as the writer of Act-Age, Matsuki was arrested for committing indecent acts against minors aged between 12 and 15. The crime happened in Nakano Ward, Tokyo, on 8 June 2020. According to reports, the suspect approached two minors on a bicycle and inappropriately touched them before fleeing the scene. After analysing security camera footage, police identified Matsuki as the suspect.
Because of the charge, Weekly Shonen Jump publisher Shueisha had ceased the publication of the Act-Age manga in Japan. Both the digital and physical editions of the manga were subsequently withdrawn from circulation. In Indonesia, the manga publisher Elex Media Komputindo also stopped Act-Age publication.
In their statement, the MangaONE editorial team had explained the circumstances surrounding Matsuki’s recruitment. According to the statement, in late August 2024, a MangaONE editor proactively contacted Matsuki through his social media account and invited him to meet. After confirming that Matsuki had completed his probation period, was undergoing regular psychological counselling for rehabilitation, and had expressed deep remorse, the editorial eventually approved the publication of his new work.
The editorial team stated that the use of the pseudonym Itsuki Yatsunami was agreed upon by both parties to prevent potential secondary trauma for victims from the past. The manga’s illustrator, Kaoru Yukihira, was reportedly informed about Matsuki’s criminal record. Yukihira nevertheless agreed to participate in the project, stating that the story carried a message that deserved to be shared.
The company concluded its statement with a sincere apology to all parties involved, particularly the victims who might be reminded of past trauma due to the editorial team’s failure to fully consider the social implications of the work they published. Updates for the latest chapter of Seisou no Shinrishi have also been officially suspended on the platform.
The Indonesian Anime Times | Source: Shogakukan website, MangaONE
