Rei Hiroe ,
the talented creator of the popular manga franchise “ BLACK LAGOON ,”
has recently shared a series of disturbing posts on his Twitter account ,
revealing his personal struggles with mental health and the impact it has had
on his work. His comments have sparked a great deal of concern among his fans
and the manga community at large.
In one of his tweets, Hiroe wrote:
- « The
tweet that says 'You'll lose 10 years if you suffer from depression' is
spreading, and it's true. It's taken me four years to get a single volume
out, working on an irregular serialization without really being able to
recover. I still panic when deadlines are tight, so I need
a lot of leeway to be able to write. As a serialized manga author,
I haven't been able to recover half of my work capacity, so really be
careful .»
In another post, he added:
- « Still,
it was good that I was at least able to maintain my desire to create (I'm
the type who can't move my hands when I'm trying to work). Some
people get to a point where they can't even think, and when that happens,
they can only sleep all day. I was close to reaching that point .»
These statements reveal the degree of
difficulty Hiroe has faced due to depression , a
problem that has seriously affected his ability to work regularly and meet the
demanding deadlines of the manga world. His testimony underlines the
seriousness of the situation and the need to address mental health with the
seriousness it deserves.
The “BLACK LAGOON” franchise is known for its
intense action and complex characters, which has earned it a loyal fan base
since its debut. However, Hiroe’s struggle with depression has resulted
in long periods of inactivity and delays in the publication of new volumes,
something he himself has pointed out as a direct consequence of his mental
state.
Hiroe's honesty in sharing his personal
struggles has also opened up an important dialogue about mental health
in the manga industry , a profession known for its extreme demands and
grueling work pace.
- « Health
comes first, so please don't push yourself too hard, Hiroe-sensei, and
work at your own pace. And I really think that a work that doesn't lose
its luster over the years is amazing .»
- « No,
really, thank you very much for your effort. Please don't overexert
yourself. We will wait patiently ».
- « Even
if you stop taking medication, it takes a few years to get back up to
speed. And even if you do recover, you will never reach the peak of your
former ability. The longer you take medication, the longer it will take to
recover .»
- « Depression
is tough, isn’t it? (I’ve experienced remission and relapse several
times.) For Hiroe-san, the irregular and forced serialization without
proper recovery is probably the reason why he can’t achieve remission…
Really, thank you very much for your effort. It’s okay for you to work at
your own pace. Please don’t push yourself too hard. »
- « I
am in my tenth year… I used to work in the food industry, but at least in
the old sense of the word, going back to the old working life is
impossible. All that remains is to earn money in my own way and with a new
approach .»
Source: Hachima Kikou
