In recent days, the Manga One app, the digital platform of Japanese publisher Shogakukan, has been rocked by a scandal that has led to popular manga such as “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End” and classics such as “Ranma ½” being removed from its catalog… by decision of their own authors. The reason? It is a sign of protest against the handling of a sexual abuse case involving another creator from the publishing house. As you can imagine, this creative boycott has sparked an important conversation about responsibility and victim protection in the manga industry.
It should be noted that the conflict erupted after it became known that Shogakukan allowed author Shōichi Yamamoto, previously arrested and convicted of a sexual offense against a minor, to return to publishing in Manga One under the pseudonym Hajime Ichiro, signing the manga “Joujin Kamen.” Then, in the face of criticism and massive rejection, the series was suspended, the shipment of physical volumes was halted, and the publisher issued a public apology, admitting serious flaws in its internal processes and in the verification of the author.
What Happened to “Joujin Kamen” and why is Shougakan involved?
According to Mainichi Shimbun, the origin of the scandal lies in “Daten Sakusen,” a work by Shōichi Yamamoto that was halted in 2020 after the author was arrested and convicted of violating Japanese law against prostitution and child pornography, receiving a fine. However, in 2022, Manga One released “Joujin Kamen,” crediting the story to Hajime Ichiro, even though it was the same person… something that Shogakukan later acknowledged.
Oricon reports that, following the public revelation of the link between Yamamoto and the new pseudonym, the company suspended digital distribution of “Joujin Kamen” and halted shipments of the compilation volumes, apologizing to readers, illustrator Eri Tsuruyoshi, and other authors at the publishing house. Finally, in a statement published by Shogakukan on February 27, 2026, the publisher admitted that it “should not have named him” as the author and that there were “serious flaws” in its verification and supervision system, announcing the formation of an investigation committee with external lawyers and possible internal sanctions.
Why were “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End” and “Ranma ½” removed from Manga One?
The team behind “Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End,” led by Kanehito Yamada, decided to remove the work from Manga One in direct response to Shogakukan’s handling of the Yamamoto case and the perception of a cover-up for a sexual abuser. This gesture is in line with other mangaka who have asked for their titles to stop being updated or to be removed from the app until the publisher demonstrates concrete changes in its policies. Among them are:
- Sumi Eno, author of “After God.”
- Ryhuei Tamura, author of “Cosmos.”
- Sumito Owara, the manga artist behind “Eizouken!”.
- Rumiko Takahashi, author of “Ranma ½,” “Inuyasha,” “Urusei Yatsura,” and more.
- Haro Aso and Kotaro Takata, the duo behind “Zom 100.”
For his part, ONE, author of “One Punch Man,” wrote on his X account: “We cannot team up with those who do not take a clear and firm stance condemning child sexual abuse. That is obvious. We hope that the parties involved will disclose the circumstances. We also hope that Shogakukan will support them if they take that step.”
What can we expect after the Shougakan scandal?
In the context of this boycott and pressure from authors and readers demanding a firm stance against sexual violence, it is still unknown whether this is a temporary suspension or a permanent withdrawal of the works from the digital catalog. For readers, this means that the content of Manga One could continue to change in the coming weeks as the investigation progresses. Meanwhile, the controversy opens up a necessary discussion: how large publishers manage their authors’ backgrounds and how willing they are to prioritize the safety and dignity of victims over the commercial success of a manga.
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