Recently marked the fourth anniversary of
the abrupt cancellation of “ Act-Age ” ,
a manga that promised to become one of the great successes of Weekly Shonen
Jump. The series was canceled in August 2020 following the arrest of
screenwriter Tatsuya Matsuki, who was accused of inappropriately approaching
and touching two high school students . Matsuki was eventually
sentenced to 18 months in prison, a sentence that was suspended for three
years, but the impact of his actions resulted in the immediate end of his
career and the demise of a manga that was at the peak of its popularity. .
“Act-Age” had captured the attention of many for its
fresh approach and narrative about life in the entertainment industry. However,
the manga's cancellation was a devastating blow to both fans and those involved
in its production. The series was left incomplete, and Matsuki's
promising career ended in disgrace.
This anniversary has served to remind fans
of another scandal in the manga industry, related to Nobuhiro Watsuki ,
author of “ Rurouni
Kenshin .” In 2017, Watsuki was arrested after being found in
possession of child pornography, with multiple DVDs stored in both his office
and his home . Although Watsuki admitted his guilt, he did not serve
any prison sentence and was only fined 200,000 yen (about $1,300). After
a brief six-month suspension, the author resumed his work on the franchise
without further repercussions.
While “Act-Age” was immediately canceled, “Rurouni
Kenshin” continued to thrive. Despite the scandal, the publisher Shueisha
continued to support Watsuki, launching new projects related to the
franchise, such as musical adaptations, live-action films and a complete remake
of the anime that began airing in 2023. This attitude contrasts
strongly with the decision of remove “Act-Age” from the Weekly Shonen Jump
catalog, showing that the prestige of the author and the popularity of the
manga can influence how the consequences of their actions are handled.
What is even more controversial to fans is the
support that Nobuhiro Watsuki received from several well-known manga authors,
even after his crimes were revealed . Figures such as Masashi
Kishimoto (Naruto), Hideaki Sorachi (Gintama), Takeshi Obata (Death Note), and
even Eiichiro Oda (One Piece), expressed their support for the author. This
type of support was not seen in the case of Tatsuya Matsuki, who was quickly
ostracized without any defense from his colleagues.
Public response has also been divided. While in
Japan “Rurouni Kenshin” continues to be a success, in other parts of the world,
the reaction has been very different. Some fans have chosen to separate
the work from the author, enjoying the series without supporting Watsuki
personally. However, others have decided to boycott the franchise entirely,
demanding that stricter action be taken against the author.
This anniversary not only remembers the tragic end
of “Act-Age,” but also reopens the debate about how the manga industry handles
crimes committed by its creators. The disparity in treatment between
Matsuki and Watsuki remains a topic of discussion among fans ,
questioning whether commercial success should come before morals and ethics in
the industry.
Source: TheEscapist Magazine
