In the world of Japanese manga, the publisher Shogakukan is recognized for being the publishing house of iconic franchises such as “Detective Conan“, “Sousou no Frieren“, “Kawaii Tonikaku” and “Komi-san wa, Komyushou Desu“, among many others. However, recently, this publisher has been the subject of intense criticism and calls for a boycott by some Internet users in Japan.
The reason behind this controversy dates back to the tragic suicide of author Ashihara Hinako, who took her own life at the age of 50 after facing difficulties related to the live-action adaptation of her work “Sexy Tanaka-san.” As the author explained in a publication on her personal blog, the live-action series suffered serious problems due to a poor adaptation of the script. Ashihara-san was forced to personally intervene to try to save the series, which triggered intense criticism towards Tomoko Aizawa, responsible for adapting the manga script for the live-action seriessomething the author did not want to happen.
The situation became even more complicated when NTV, the live-action producer, issued a statement stating that all episode scripts had been approved by Shogakukan., with the alleged prior authorization of the author. This generated a deep feeling of distrust towards the publisher, as many felt that it had not provided the necessary support to Ashihara Hinako during this difficult time.
As a result, some Internet users have called for a boycott of the purchase of manga published by Shogakukan as a way to express their discontent and pressure the publisher to take responsibility for its alleged lack of support for the author.. However, this action has also generated a debate about whether it is ethical to affect other authors who publish their works through this publishing house.
Comments like “This is no longer about ‘protecting the authors’, but rather ‘wanting to destroy Shogakukan’, in short, ‘I want to destroy what I find unpleasant’“, reflect this controversy. Some consider that Internet users are diverting attention from the main problem and harming the authors themselves who depend on the publisher to publish their works:
- «I don’t want to buy it from Shogakukan, so I want you to post it somewhere else. It’s up to you how you “feel” about it.».
- «But going out of your way to tell people, that’s just poor maintenance of a twisted nature. It’s the same as throwing food in the trash or trampling it in front of farmers.».
- «The people who are boycotting Shogakukan out of resentment towards her are blaming the authors.».
- «I don’t want publishers to be paid! The result of “I don’t want publishers to get money” is that “the authors I support don’t get money or achievements.”».
- «Those who complain probably see him as “an enemy who goes out of his way to publish Shogakukan in these times.” What a disaster these days are.».
This controversy highlights the complex ethical and moral dilemmas that arise in situations where public outrage is directed towards a broader entity.affecting individuals who may have no direct responsibility for the problem at hand.
Source: Otakomu
Credits:Kudasai
