Shogakukan Admits Six-Year Cover-Up Involving Convicted Sex Offender on Manga ONE

Shogakukan faces intense backlash after confirming it allowed a convicted sex offender to publish manga on its Manga ONE platform for six years. The publisher also revealed an editor actively tried to suppress knowledge of the situation. A second major issue was also disclosed: the hiring of Tatsuya Matsuki, the former Shueisha creator behind Act-Age, under a pseudonym.

The initial controversy centered on author Kurita, known for titles like Jojin Kamen and Daten Sakusen. Court documents show Kurita, 30 years older than his victim, was convicted of sexual assault in a 2026 ruling for exploiting a teacher-student relationship. He was ordered to pay 11 million yen in damages that same year. In 2021, shortly after Kurita's arrest, a Shogakukan editor attempted to broker a secret 1.5 million yen settlement with the victim. This was an attempt to keep Kurita's conviction quiet and allow his serialization to continue.

Shogakukan’s official statement acknowledged serious editorial failures. The publisher issued apologies to the victim, readers, and illustrator Kaoru Yukihira. Several artists immediately pulled their series from Manga ONE in protest over the platform’s handling of trust and safety.

Then came the second revelation. Shogakukan hired Tatsuya Matsuki, the creator whose Act-Age series was dropped by Shueisha in 2020 after he was found guilty of groping middle school girls. Matsuki was hired to write Seiso no Shinrishi under the pen name Miki Yatsunami.

Editors confirmed they were aware of Matsuki's past conviction and that his suspended sentence had concluded. They stated they had bought into his narrative of atonement following counseling. Yukihira was reportedly informed of this connection, leading to the immediate pause of Seiso no Shinrishi.

The publisher has now promised a formal, lawyer-led investigation. This probe will examine hiring practices, the handling of the Kurita cover-up, and the specific roles of the editors involved. Shogakukan claims strict disciplinary action and systemic fixes are forthcoming. Creator and fan outrage continues to mount over the perceived lack of editorial standards in the industry.