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When Cells at Work! creator Akane Shimizu went public in June 2026 with allegations of abuse and neglect from her publishers at Kodansha, it was a big shock to many fans. One group that didn’t seem quite as shocked was her fellow mangaka, many of whom shared similar stories in the days and weeks that followed. The revelations of Shimizu’s abuse have led other manga creators to highlight the difficult working conditions they face in an industry known for overworking talented individuals.

Ball & Chain mangaka Q-ta Minami (published by Magazine House) voiced their frustrations at the industry with a social media post that perhaps sums up the entire situation.

“I used to resign myself to the fact that I was treated this way because I wasn’t a bestseller and that it was just the way things were. But if even Shimizu continued to be treated so badly by her editor after achieving such success, then there really is no hope. The fact that she’s still alive and continuing to create manga is a miracle.”

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Izuko Fujiya also used the situation to explain why her previous series, Sayonara no Parade, ended rather unceremoniously midway through its story at Kodansha. On her own social media post, Fujiya explained that her disputes with her editors over the course of three years made it impossible for her to finish the series. 

Kayatamaru, the creator of The Girl, the Shovel, and the Evil Eye, shared perhaps one of the most harrowing stories from their time as a mangaka. They revealed that they had not received royalties from overseas sales of their manga for over a year, with no apology from the editorial department at Kodansha. They also alleged that their editors did not take their health concerns seriously, which eventually resulted in their weight dropping to dangerous levels. Their manga went on hiatus for several months, and the author remains on medication.

Author of Magical Girl and Narco Wars, Meiji Merou, said that they have also been subject to abuse by past editors, who would say they would “end up a loser” because they were not as good as other artists. “There was a tendency back then to try to force artists into a mold and emotionally corner them.”

Akane Shimizu is clearly not the only mangaka who has been abused by her editors over the years. Even these handful of stories represent only a small selection of voices in an industry that is rapidly growing into a cultural and economic powerhouse for Japan. Creative people produce their best work when they are supported by their editorial staff and have their basic needs cared for, leaving them free to make the art people follow them for. Hopefully, the revelations of the Cell at Work! creator’s experience – and the outpouring of similar stories from across the industry – shows that there is room for the manga industry to improve.

Each week, Popverse's resident anime expert Trent Cannon runs down the latest and, dare we say "greatest," in anime and manga in Popverse Jump. Some recent columns have included... 

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