Lost Art, Makoto Raiku and Shogakukan

By Harley Acres

Makoto Raiku's Side

June 6, 2008, 1:00 p.m. Filed suit
Case No. Heisei 20 (wa) 15321
Tokyo District Court, Civil Division No. 7, Receiving Date: June 6, 2008

Good evening, this is Makoto Raiku.
Some of you may have already heard about this through the news.
At the above mentioned time, we have filed a lawsuit against Shogakukan Co., Ltd. claiming damages for the lost color manuscript and five copies.
The lost color manuscripts are the five items listed below.
(The first image is a color spread, so it counts as two pages.)

ATTORNEY GENERAL'S REPORTS

Receipts Petition
Stamps
(30,000 yen)

June 6, 2008

Tokyo District Court, Civil Division

Attorney-at-Law for Plaintiff Tomohiko Ono

(Normally, my address would be inserted here, but it is omitted in this blog.)

Plaintiff Makoto Kawada
No. 3 Takahashi Bldg. 2-11-4 Sugamo, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0002, Japan 11-4, No.3 Takahashi Bldg. 3F, Sugamo 2, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0002, Japan
Toshima Law Office (Place of service)
Tomohiko Ono, Attorney-at-Law for the above
Phone　03-3915-5523
Fax: 03-3915-5523　03-3915-5175

2-3-1 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8001, Japan 2-3-1 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8001, Japan
Defendant Shogakukan Co.
　 Representative Director Masahiro Aiga

Case of claim for damages
Price of suit 4,900,000 yen ^[2]
Amount of stamps to be affixed: 30,000 yen

1. Purpose of claim

• 1. The defendant shall pay the plaintiff 3,300,000 yen, plus interest at the rate of 5% per annum from the day following the date of service of the complaint until paid.
• 2. The defendant shall deliver to the plaintiff the positive film of the painting described in the attached list of paintings.
• 3. The defendants shall bear the costs of the suit.
• 4. Declaration of provisional execution with respect to paragraph 1.

2. Cause of Claim

• 1 Parties
  • (1) Plaintiff is a cartoonist whose pen name is "Makoto Raiku" and is the author of "Konjiki no Gash!" and is the owner of the manuscript (hereinafter meaning the "Original Work").
    
    　　　　In January 2001, the defendant began serializing "Konjiki no Gash!" and continued until December 2007 under favorable reviews. The same work was adapted into an animated television series, "Konjiki no Gash Bell!" and continued until 2006. It won the 48th (2002) Shogakukan Manga Award (A1).
  • (2) The defendant is a joint-stock company engaged in magazine and book publishing and mail-order sales.
• 2 Execution of Manuscript Serialization Agreement and Publishing Agreement (A2)
  • (1) In the fall of 2000, the plaintiff entered into a contract with the defendant to serialize his work ("Konjiki no Gash!") in "Shonen Sunday," a magazine published by the defendant ("Konjiki no Gash!"). At that time, the plaintiff received 300,000 yen from the defendant as a reserve fund.
    
    　　　　At the beginning of the contract, the plaintiff's manuscript fee was 10,000 yen per page for a black-and-white manuscript (later increased to 13,000 yen after winning the Shogakukan Manga Award), and 14,000 yen for a color manuscript (later, it was increased to 17,000 yen). All of the manuscripts submitted by the plaintiff to the defendant were on loan, and the ownership of the manuscripts belonged to the plaintiff.
  • (2) On May 27, 2001, due to the extremely good reputation of "Konjiki no Gash!" Sunday Comics, and the plaintiff accepted these terms.
    
    　　　　Therefore, all of the manuscripts loaned to the defendant were returned to the plaintiff about six months after the publication of the comics in black and white, but the color manuscripts were kept by the defendant until the end of the serialization because they were sometimes reused for the front page of Shonen Sunday magazine or for advertising media, etc. (Contract for Deposit of Manuscripts). Therefore, the manuscript was to be kept by the defendant until the end of the serialization (deposition agreement for the manuscript).

3. Damages (artistic value of the original) caused by the defendant's default (loss of the original)

　
• (1) On December 26, 2007, upon the end of the serialization, the plaintiff received from the defendant (Yosuke Iizuka, the editor in charge) a total of 201 color manuscripts, 43 black and white manuscripts, 2 photographs, 2 positives and 2 volumes of name notes. ^[3] However, the following manuscripts were missing (A3). 　　　
  • (i) Color text
  • page 6 and page 7 (2 pages) from manga vol. 1 (A4) 　　　
  • page 115 (1 page) from manga vol. 9 (A5) 　　　　　
  • page 59 from manga vol. 15, (1 page) (A6) 　　　
  • (ii) Illustrations for manga covers 　　　　　
  • Color illustration on the fold-out of Vol. 11 (1 page) (A7) 　　　
  • (iii) Color illustration for the cover of Sunday, Vol. 26, 2002 (group cover) 　　　
  • (iv) Commemorative illustrations for the anime, book card illustrations for giveaways, Gash, Tio, Canchome, and Brago.
  　
• (2) On February 29, 2008, the defendant contacted the company regarding the missing manuscripts and was informed that the color manuscripts (3) and (4) had been found.
• (3) The defendant was notified that the color manuscripts (4) and (5) were found. Therefore, the original drawings that were lost by the defendant are the above-mentioned (1) and (2), totaling five original drawings. (A-8-1, 2) 　
• (3) Defendant's breach of duty of care
  　　　　The defendant did not keep the manuscripts with the duty of care as a good manager, which resulted in the loss of the manuscripts. 　
• (4) Amount of damages
  　　
  • (i) "Konjiki no Gash!" (A9)
    　　　　　The manuscript in question is a work that was serialized from the 6th issue of Weekly Shonen Sunday 2001 to the combined 4th and 5th issues of the New Year 2008 by the defendant publishing company. As of the date of filing of the lawsuit, 32 volumes of the manga had been published (volume 33 is scheduled to be published on June 18, 2008).
    　　　　　The work was produced by Toei Animation under the name "Konjiki no Gash Bell!" and was made into an animated television series produced by Toei Animation and broadcast on Fuji Television Network from April 6, 2003 to March 26, 2006 for a total of 150 episodes. It was also broadcast in the U.S. as "Zatch Bell!"
    　　　　　In addition, it was released as a movie in August 2004 and August 2005, respectively.
    　　　　　In addition, the show has been adapted into computer games for the Game Boy Advance, Playstation 2, etc., and the trading card game was so popular that it was the driving force behind the show's three-year run. The content of the works includes "friendship," "hard work," and "love" a firey work that takes the high road of shonen manga, and it still boasts enormous popularity today. 　　　
  • (ii) Sold price at auction
    　　　　　Since there is no precedent for compensating for damage as the artistic value of manga, this time the artist explored the objective value of his own manuscript by putting a color manuscript similar to the lost manuscript up for sale on Yahoo!
    　　　　　After auctioning off two pieces, one sold for 354,000 yen (A10), and the other sold for 164,000 yen (A11). 　　　
  • (iii) Calculation of the artistic value of the original paintings by the plaintiff
    　　　　　The average sales price at the above auctions was 259,000 yen, the lost manuscript was actually used in the text of a magazine, and it was at a premium while the auction itself was held in a situation not well known to readers.
    　　　　　Therefore, since there are five lost original manuscripts, it can be said that the total artistic value of 1.5 million yen was infringed. 　
  • (5) Agreement on return of positive film
    　　　　On February 29, 2008, the defendant promised the plaintiff to return the positive films corresponding to the lost originals for the lost unreturned manuscripts (A-8-1). Needless to say, without the positive film, it is impossible to publish the same manga.

4. Compensation (Tort)

　
• (1) The fact that the defendant lost the manuscripts entrusted to it by the plaintiff should be considered to be a sloppy management system. 　
• (2) The defendant's breach of duty of care (negligence) resulted in the loss of five original paintings of artistic value owned by the plaintiff, which clearly constitutes a violation of the defendant's right of ownership (property right). 　
• (3) As for property damage, 3(4)(iii) described above applies here as well (competing claims). 　
• (4) As for emotional damages, the plaintiff put his heart and soul into the original drawings (especially the color manuscripts), and he was very attached to them. If this is evaluated in monetary terms, the amount is not less than 300,000 yen per piece, or 1,500,000 yen in total.

5. Attorney's fees 300,000 yen

6. Significance of this lawsuit

　
• (1) "Until the 1970s, a manga manuscript itself had no value," and "a manga was considered to be a "finished product" only after it was printed. It was not uncommon for raw manuscripts to be discarded once they were no longer needed. (quoted from a comment by manga critic Yoshihiro Yonezawa in the August 2, 2003 Yomiuri Shimbun evening edition).
  　　　　However, nowadays, the tendency to regard manga manuscripts as "works of art" has emerged, as "Mandarake," which began operations in 1980, has found property value in manga and created a market for original artwork. For example, in 1994, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo spent 600 million yen for a work by an artist named Roy Lichtenstein (Girl with Hair Ribbon, A-12), a work of Pop Art that resembles American comic books.
  　　　　However, from a legal standpoint, there is still no precedent for treating a manga manuscript as a "work of art," even though it is sometimes treated as a "work of authorship". There have been numerous cases of lost manga manuscripts, but none of them have ever been claimed as "works of art".
  
  　　　　In this sense, as a means of countering the loss of a number of manuscripts, we are filing this lawsuit in order to win the position of manga manuscripts as "works of art," to gain social status for manga as works of art, and to make the editors aware that they are handling "works of art," and to prevent them from making the same mistake in the future.
• (2) This lawsuit is also a warning to manga artists that they continue to receive unequal treatment from editors and publishers.
  　　　　Manga artists are paid on a postpaid basis. In other words, they are extremely insecure, having to pay out of their own pocket, hire assistants, secure work space, finish manuscripts on deadline, and only get paid after their work is published in a magazine. For example, even if a manga artist works on a serialized work, since all remuneration is paid after the fact, manga artists are forced to follow the unreasonable demands of publishers and editors, and bullying is rampant as manga artists are unable to secure salaries to pay their assistants if they do not follow through. This structure does not change much even if the manga artist sells well, and in general there is an overwhelming difference in power between the two.
  　　　　When the manuscript in question was lost, the amount of compensation offered by the defendant was three times the amount of the manuscript fee for each copy, an amount that seemed to ridicule the plaintiff's work as a manga artist. This was a mockery of the plaintiff's work as a manga artist, even though the plaintiff had contributed a great deal to the defendant. If it had been a manga artist who was not as successful as plaintiff, what would he be talking about?
  　　　　As a successful manga artist, he has a minimal responsibility to the new manga artists who follow in his footsteps: "Isn't it strange that Makoto Raiku is happy with this amount and you are complaining?" In this sense, this lawsuit is also the plaintiff's mission to his younger colleagues (A13).　

7. Therefore, we request a trial as stated in the statement of claim.

• Method of Evidence　　
  　　　　　　　　
  • 1 A-1 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  • 2 A-2 Publication Agreement
  • 3 A3 Confirmation letter
  • 4 A4 Original copy (page 6 and page 7 of manga vol. 1)
  • 5 A4 Original copy (page 115 of manga vol. 9)
  • 6 copy of original drawing (page 59 manga vol. 15)
  • 7 Original photocopy (Vol. 11, fold-out color illustration)
  • 8 A-8-1: Fax from the defendant (document beginning with "Thank you for your constant support.")
  • 9 A-8-2: A fax from the defendant (a document starting with "Regarding the unreturned manuscript")
  • 10 A-9 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  • 11 A-10 Document of the successful bid of 354,000 yen on Yahoo! Auction
  • 12 A document when it was sold at 164,000 yen on Yahoo! Auction
  • 13 Girl with Hair Ribbon (Lichtenstein)
  • 14 A-13 Written statement
• Annexed documents　
  　　　　　　　　　
  • 1 Certificate of eligibility (1 copy)
  • 2. 1 copy each of A-1 to A-13 (copies)
  • 3 Power of attorney for lawsuit (1 copy)
• Statement of Facts
• 1 To the point of filing this lawsuit.
  • (1) "Too many editors and publishers began to treat manga artists like fools."
    　　　This is the motivation for the lawsuit.
    　　　（The editorial department of Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday lost five color pages of Makoto Raiku's manga "Konjiki no Gash!" The Shogakukan side took action against the color manuscript. When I saw the amount of compensation Shogakukan paid for the lost manuscripts, I decided to sue them.
    　　　The amount of compensation was three times the manuscript fee.
    　　　The manuscript fee for my color manuscript was 51,000 yen (17,000 yen per copy x 3).
    　　　One of the pages was treated as a cut, and the fee was 10,000 yen per page x 3, or 30,000 yen.
    　　　51,000 x 4 (sheets) + 30,000 yen = 234,000 yen as compensation.
    　　　For some reason, "compensation" is attached to that amount, and that amount is 266,000 yen.
    　　　The total of 500,000 yen is the amount Shogakukan paid for the lost color manuscript.
    
  • (2) A simple calculation shows that each copy costs 100,000 yen. This is 100,000 yen for a color manuscript, not a black-and-white manuscript. What is scary about this formula is that it is divided into "compensation" and "indemnity. What is "compensation"? The literal translation in the dictionary is compensation = "making up for loss, etc.". Isn't that usually included in the term "compensation"?
  • (3) If it is only compensation, it is three times the manuscript fee, for a color manuscript. As a supplementary note, a color manuscript takes much longer than an ordinary black-and-white manuscript. On average, it takes about 3 hours to finish a black and white manuscript, even with staff of assistants, while a color manuscript takes at least 10 hours. The time alone is three times longer. Some artists do not draw much color, and some do it much faster. But I think it takes more than twice as long.
    　　　If that is the case, the compensation for the "black and white manuscript" is 1.5 times, not for the "color manuscript" in this case.
  • (4) The scariest part of this is that the editor will start treating the manuscript as if it were a piece of paper, and will begin to think, "Well, if it gets lost, I can just pay the manuscript fee again and the problem will be solved, right? If it gets lost anyway, just pay them again and it'll be over with."
    　　　Manga manuscripts were supposed to be treated more preciously by editors of manga magazines. It should not be treated this badly.
    　　　If I press my seal of approval for this amount, all compensation will be set at about double the amount for a black-and-white manuscript, beyond this. My black-and-white manuscript would cost 13,000 yen per page, and the manga artists ahead of me would receive "compensation," money that I don't understand. There is a big possibility that the so-called "compensation money," which means only 13,000 yen, will disappear for the manga artists who preceded you. Furthermore, the newer manga artists, younger than himself, would be unable to say anything, "Isn't it strange that Makoto Raiku is satisfied with this amount of money and you are complaining about it?"　That is something that must be prevented.
  • (5) "Even if you lose the manuscript, you can get away with it by just paying me again, right?" 　　　Some of you may think, "No editor would say such a thing!" However, it is not impossible for the current Sunday editorial department to say such a thing. To that extent, we manga artists are not treated as equals or as business partners.
• 2 The reality of the Shonen Sunday editorial department
  • (1) Originally, manga artists and editors (the publisher) had a relationship of equals, or "fifty-fifty. If there was a total submersion (redoing everything from the beginning), the editor would receive the revised story by fax at home, even late at night, so that he could check it immediately and start working on the manuscript. And even if he sends out a correction, we would discuss the development of the manga to make it more interesting beyond that, trying to convince the manga artist to make it interesting as well. Of course, we also see each other as business partners. But that relationship no longer exists in the Sunday editorial department. At least, I, Makoto Raiku, do not have such a relationship.
    
  • (2) I, Makoto Raiku, was the first person in charge of the manga "Konjiki no Gash!" yet I was still "working" for Mr. Toshiyuki Hari (畭俊之), the first editor in charge of the "Konjiki no Gash Bell!" He was indeed strict, often swore at me, and often removed all of my story ideas, but he was still doing his "job".
    
  • (3) Masanao Murakami (村上正直), the second person in charge, was really uncooperative and quarrelsome at first, but after I angered him once, he was a person who firmly worked with me to create Gash.
  • (4) Tomokazu Sodesaki (袖崎友和), the third person in charge of the project, although he was good at first, he was eventually late, and when I submitted a color manuscript in a desperate attempt to meet a deadline set by Mr. Sodesaki, he would not pick up the manuscript. When I asked him "Why?" he replied, "Anytime is fine." After he too became angry at me at work, his tardiness was finally corrected and his quarrelsome attitude disappeared.
  • (5) Masashi Takashima (高島雅), the fourth person in charge, has been grinning and giving me a hard time since the day he was put in charge.
    　　　"Why do you have to pick a fight with me?"
    　　　Then Masashi Takashima said, "I am said to be one of the scariest editors in the editorial department. I'm good friends with Shigeru Kanmuri (冠茂)." ^[4]
    　　　I will write more about this Mr. Shigeru Kanmuri later, but he is an editor of whom I have not heard many good rumors. So, why should he tell me such a thing at our first meeting? Is he ordered by the editor-in-chief to "go pick a fight with Makoto Raiku!" and "Go fight with Makoto Raiku!"
    　　　Incidentally, Mr. Masashi Takashima did not give me his home fax number. When I asked him, he said, "My home fax machine is broken." Six months or a year later, he said, "The fax machine is still broken." I then understood what was going on. He essentially said, "Don't bring work into my home." I was quite thrilled to hear that.
    　　　I had a lot of problems with this editor, and it was during this period that I broke a bone in my right hand and had to stop drawing the series.
  • (6) The next editor (the sixth), Yosuke Iizuka (飯塚洋介), was an editor who would take a swipe at me when I warned him about a typographical error. When he became angry when I warned him of a mistake, I didn't know how to do my job any more. When the conversation was over, he hangs up the phone and slams the receiver down so that I can hear him.
  • (7) I may be saying every little thing. However, both tardiness and this way of hanging up the phone are common courtesies that a member of society should be able to show. It is not an act you would do to a business partner.
    　　　Why do manga artists receive such a treatment from their business partners when they are working on a weekly manga series on the edge of deadlines and under high emotional stress?
    
    　　　Sometimes it is okay to be angry if a manga artist is causing trouble for the magazine or other people involved, such as if the manga artist does not meet too many deadlines, or continues to develop uninteresting stories that are not popular within the magazine because of his or her own selfishness, and so on. However, there is absolutely no need for such an attitude of picking fights with manga artists for no reason at all.
• 3 How I came to stop the serialization of "Konjiki no Gash!"
  • (1) When I broke the bone in my right hand, on December 1, 2005 I sent a fax to the publisher asking them to let me finish the serialization of "Konjiki no Gash!"
    　　(As a supplementary note, the "Faudo Arc" is a part of the "Konjiki no Gash!" manga that I was drawing at that time). ^[5]
  • (2) The broken bone in my right hand was the result of mental stress. At the time, this Mr. Masashi Takashima was ordered by his editor-in-chief to extend the "Konjiki no Gash!" serialization. I had given him a lot of material to stretch out at our first meeting. However, my feeling was that "Konjiki no Gash!" was coming to an end, and I had already told the editors what seemed to be the case.
    　　　Therefore, unless I had a really good idea or storyline, I had no intention of prolonging "Konjiki no Gash!". Unfortunately, the story that Masashi Takashima came up with was not very good.
    　　　Even though I could not stretch it out, I usually came up with a lot of material for Gash stories. But unfortunately, that story that cannot be used is not an "idea" but one stuck in the "idea" stage. An idea is to take an idea and apply it to a character or story in the manga, and simulate it over and over in your mind to see if it will be interesting or not.
    　　　Only a few of them become "ideas" that make the most of the characters and make the story interesting. If you force a mere "idea" into a story, the characters will be absurd and the story will die.
    　　　However, Mr. Masashi Takashima forcefully pushed the "idea" and developed it into a story, no matter how contradictory or page lengthy it may be, and if the number of pages exceeded the limit, I would say, "That can't be done in 18 pages!" and Masashi Takashima would begin to lose his temper.
    
    　　　I tried to make the story interesting, but there is a limit. I was stressed out, wondering why I had to suffer and draw a boring story by destroying the story I had thought of beforehand.
  • (3) Around that time, the same mistakes continued, and I punched the desk so hard that the bone of my fist broke through the skin of my right hand. When I told the assistant who made the mistake to look closely at the place where he made the mistake, I made him move his face closer (to the desk to examine his mistake), and they too hit their face against the desk with too much force, injuring themself.
    　　　Fortunately, his injuries were not serious and he recovered unnoticeably, but even though it was negligence, it was still an accident that could be blamed on me.
    I called the assistant's mother with a broken arm and a bandage wrapped around my right hand, and apologized desperately. I am amazed that she forgave me.
    　　　At that time, I felt, "I can no longer work at Sunday, I can no longer work at Shogakukan." I felt that as I faxed the letter. ^[6]
• 4 Shogakukan's response after the fracture
  • (1) Mr. Masashi Takashima, the editor in charge at the time, sent a fax of approval from his own home that day, and Mr. Masato Hayashi (林正人), the editor-in-chief of Weekly Shonen Sunday, came to my workplace the following week to give his approval.
    　　　Later, when I went to a fellow manga artist's workplace, the rumor among the editorial staff was that this incident had occurred because Makoto Raiku had beaten his assistant and broken his hand.
    　　　Why is this happening when I myself firmly told the editor-in-chief Masato Hayashi and Mr. Masashi Takashima about the matter! It is obvious from the hospital records whether the wound was caused by a punch or not.
  • (2) Anyway, I wanted to leave this editorial office. However, "Konjiki no Gash!" has many readers who look forward to it. It is a really important work for me as well.
    It is a work that should never be left unfinished. Therefore, I have set a deadline for the continuation of this work. ^[7]
• 5 After the end of the serialization
  • (1) Thinking that I had finally finished the Sunday magazine series, I asked for the return of the color manuscripts I had deposited with the company. I recieved a reply stating that, "a few of the manuscripts have been lost."
    　　　I asked the editor to find the missing color manuscripts. After a few weeks, several color manuscripts turned up, but there were still eight missing. At that time, Mr. Yosuke Iizuka (飯塚洋介), the editor in charge of the manuscript, asked to speak with the editor-in-chief and the deputy editor.
    　　　When I asked him what he wanted to talk about, he said they wanted to discuss the lost color manuscripts, but they also wanted to discuss my departure from Shogakukan. Mr. Yosuke Iizuka said, "You're still here, aren't you? There are people who say they won't draw for Sunday anymore, but then come back and draw again."
    　　I have no more words. I just replied, "..." followed by,
    　　"I would like to have a thorough discussion with you, so please schedule an appointment with the editor-in-chief and deputy editor."
    　　Later, Masato Hayashi, the editor-in-chief, Masaki Nawata (縄田正樹), the deputy editor-in-chief, and Yosuke Iizuka, the person in charge, arrive. Masato Hayashi, the editor-in-chief, says,
    　　"Fans are waiting for you, and we'd like to ask you to serialize your work again in Sunday."
    　　Of course I can't do it. How could the editor-in-chief now give me this line about how he felt when I broke my own hand, after I sent out that fax, after I drew "Gash" to the end? I slammed the desk (I slammed it with my right hand again,) and yelled at the editor-in-chief. Actually, I yelled at everyone.
    　Then Masaki Nawata, the deputy editor-in-chief, who was standing beside me, says,
    　　"Is it OK if I show up here from time to time to talk to you from now on?"
    　　I reply.
    　　"What do you want to come to my home and talk about?"
    　　Masaki Nawata, the sub-editor-in-chief, says the same thing as Yosuke Iizuka.
    　　He says, "There are people that have said this before. People who say they won't draw for us anymore and then come back to serialize with us again..."
  • (2) It is because of these words from the editor in charge that I had a fighting attitude toward him until the very end. No matter how much the editor may joke around or fight with the manga artist, the artists will probably ask to be allowed to draw at Shogakukan again anyway.
    　　　Therefore, when I broke my right hand, no matter how much I wanted to make it impossible for me to draw manga, I simply said, "Please, I'm refusing to work for Shogakukan," this editorial department would laugh and say, "This guy is just running his mouth again."
• 6 Discussion with Shogakukan about the loss of the manuscript
  　　I said to Masaki Nawata, "Please don't come back (when you are done with your work related to Gash's publication)." I then told him what I had already discussed with my lawyer Tomohiko Ono (小野智彦) at the time, that I had set a search period for the lost color manuscript, and that if the color manuscript was not found by then, Shogakukan would assume that it had been lost. We also told them that we would demand compensation, and if the amount was not satisfactory, we would file a lawsuit for damages.
  
  　　When I brought that up, Masaki Nawata, the deputy editor, said,
  　　"Eight pages, is that right?"
  　　He sounded more annoyed that a young cartoonist was being so insistent rather than apologetic for the lost manuscript, and left the room.
  　　Later, during the search period, three color manuscripts were found, bringing the total number of lost color manuscripts to five, and Shogakukan offered to pay compensation. The Shogakukan side offered compensation in the amount I wrote at the beginning.
• 7 What I think about Shogakukan
  • (1) Truthfully, I had planned to leave Sunday and Shogakukan without doing anything once I had finished drawing Gash. In any case, I did not want to be involved anymore. Do you know how frustrating it is to receive a phone call from your editor?
    　　　However, at the last minute, I imagined the loss of the manuscript, the amount of compensation, and the future actions of the editor indicated by the amount of compensation... and this led me to this lawsuit.
    
    　　　Since when did manga artists for manga magazines become so ridiculed? When I was talking about Masashi Takashima, an editor named Shigeru Kanmuri was the editor in charge of Yohei Sakai, who was my former assistant. ^[8] In the latter half of the book, Mr. Sakai's resistance to Mr. Kanmuri's orders became too much for him, and although he continued to draw as Mr. Kanmuri told him, the manga was made absurd and did not gain popularity. Mr. Sakai only wrote stories as directed by Kanmuri, and ended his first weekly serialization...
    　　　I remember this story because Mr. Sakai at that time came to me several times for advice. He was really treated as a "tool".
  • (2) Just recently, Weekly Shonen Sunday celebrated its 50th anniversary, and to commemorate the occasion, there was a project to ask the great teachers of the past to draw a manga about their memories of Sunday. One of the great artists, Yuu Koyama, drew a manga in the 16th issue of Weekly Shonen Sunday in 2008, in which an editor was rude to Koyama-sensei. In the end, he drew an imaginary punch line (there is no way such an editor exists) and said that it was not real. ^[9]
    　　　I have seen many acts similar to the attitude of the editor in Yuu Koyama's manga.
    　　　I can imagine that they must have treated even someone as famous as Yuu Koyama-sensei terribly.

8. Reasons why I will not work with not only Shonen Sunday but also Shogakukan itself in the future

　　One of the reasons why I have decided to refuse work not only with Shonen Sunday but also with Shogakukan is that Shogakukan is a company that often "moves around". Editors often move from one department to another, and no matter how many magazines change, there is a high possibility that the editors mentioned above will appear before me again. 　　Second, not only Sunday, but every magazine has editors who cannot or will not do their job.
　Third, I had a terrible experience with accounting. For a period of time, I had my sole proprietorship converted to a limited liability company and asked them to handle my accounting as a company and calculate payments such as manuscript fees and royalties. However, despite my having informed the editor in charge, I continued to make payments as a sole proprietorship, and after filing my final tax return, the tax office ordered me to pay 2.3 million yen in taxes. Of course, I made Shogakukan pay this amount.
　　However, even after such an incident, they did not change the payment to a company form, and after a few months, they got angry and said they would finally change it to a company form. Even in accounting, if I don't yell at them, they don't do their job properly. Don't you think it's strange?

9. The relationship manga artists want with their editors

　　Manga artists should not be fooled by editors any more. They must be seen as serious business partners.
　　It is a matter of course for a manga magazine, but it is a magazine that cannot be created without manga artists. Even the editors who usually look down on manga artists and make fun of them should stand on their own as original manga artists and support the manga magazine, even if they cannot draw pictures! If they were told to do so, none of them would become an original manga author. No one would have the confidence to make a big hit. That is how difficult manga is, and the editors must know it. So why are they so unwilling to deal with us as business partners?
　　How many manga editors at Shogakukan are now using their own feet to gather materials (photos and literature) for the manga they are working on and cooperating with the manga artists? How many editors think of ideas for their own manga without sleeping?
　　Toshiyuki Minami, the first editor in charge, worked the hardest and came up with ideas, but from the middle of his assignment, he did not come up with his own ideas. He only selects the stories and ideas he submits and gives advice on them. He only helped Mr. Masanao Murakami find a book of photographs and other drawing materials at the end of the project, when he really changed assignments. Masashi Takashima, who was ordered to stall the project, also said, "I come up with ideas while having a drink at night. He was also the only one who could help me find the needed book.

　However, I was told by a Shogakukan insider that even with this, the above editors are "working people". Toshiyuki Hari (畭俊之) said, 　"Manga editors have it easy, because all they have to do is let the manga artists draw the series."
　　Toshiyuki Hari still worked hard for Gash. He responded to late-night faxes for name corrections even when the manga was completely buried.
　　However, when an editor who doesn't work uses this phrase with impunity, it is the end of the line. If the editor, who does nothing but pout, continues to send out corrections without understanding the meaning of the work or the personality of the characters, the work will be destroyed and the manga artist will be ruined.
　　I am sure that most manga artists spend almost 24 hours a day thinking and worrying about their work. In contrast, how much time do editors spend on the manga they are in charge of?

10. My Thoughts on Filing this Lawsuit

• (1) I have filed a lawsuit for damages for a manga manuscript that was lost through the ways I have described. However, I am sure that there are new manga artists who have lost their manuscripts and are crying themselves to sleep. Rumor has it that there were other manga artists at Shogakukan who experienced similar frustrations.
  　　　I am sure that the manga artist must have felt the same way about crying himself to sleep.
  　 　"I don't want to deal with this kind of editor anymore." I am sure he felt the same way.
• (2) Normally, the behind the scenes activity of a manga should not be made public. Manga artists should only send out entertainment to their readers. That's what I thought.
  　　　Takashi Shiina, my senior manga artist, occasionally writes on his blog about the fact that the editor in charge has not read his manga and about the editor's incomprehensible name corrections, thereby bringing the inadequacies of editing to the public's attention. ^[10]
  　　　I actually thought this act should not be done. I thought that as long as they endured it gingerly and published interesting manga, it would be fine.
  　　　But now, in Sunday's editorial department, this is what we need! If you don't name names and warn people by name, the editor-in-chief won't get angry, and people around you won't even know that the editors made a mistake. If you get angry, they will say, "Even if you get angry, you can't do anything about it, can you?" And they will take it easy on you. However, the reality is that, like Mr. Yosuke Iizuka, when you warn someone about a mistake, they will actually take offense.

11. Conclusion (Regarding the artistic property value of my artwork)

• (1) It's a long story. But I think you can get the sense that editors are starting to mock manga artists. When a manuscript is lost, they might say, "Well, if it's lost anyway, we can get away with it if we just pay the manuscript fee again, right?
  (2) He/she will be able to present his/her own case for damages.
• (2) I will explain the amount of money I offered as compensation for damages.
  　　　300,000 yen for one page of the color manuscript (I have eliminated the incomprehensible amount called "compensation"). This is approximately 17 times the amount of my color manuscript fee.
  　　　I would have originally offered 10 times the amount for a black-and-white manuscript, and 30 times the amount for a color manuscript. However, because I did not have a standard value for color manuscripts, the average price of a color manuscript of "Konjiki no Gash!" The manuscripts I lost were actually used in the magazine itself, and the auction was held without much publicity and was not well known by readers. ^[11]
  　　　We do not know what kind of response Shogakukan will give to this amount. If they want to push through with a lower amount, that would be fine. That is the current state of Shogakukan.

The End

Takashi Hashiguchi Responds

Hello, my name is Takashi Hashiguchi, manga artist in charge of drawing "Saijo no Meii" serialized in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday.

I have decided to start a blog on a temporary basis.

The cause is a lawsuit against Shogakukan by Makoto Raiku, the original author of "Konjiki no Gash!".

The purpose of the lawsuit seems to be to compensate for the loss of his original manuscript. However, it seems strange that the individual names of certain editors are mentioned in his blog and that he goes on to defame them with slanderous sentences, even though they are not more than rumors, among other offensive sentences against each individual.

One of them is "Shigeru Kanmuri (冠茂)," my editor, and I have no idea why he, with whom Raiku has no relationship, is being slandered. There is a sentence that reads, "he is an editor of whom I have not heard many good rumors," but does that come from rumors on the Internet? I don't what he's referring to, but from what I know, he isn't anything like what is being described.

Yes, Kanmuri may not be a good talker, but he is an excellent editor in my opinion. Also, when I publish a blog entry like this, some people may take the position that "Isn't Kanmuri forcing Hashiguchi to write this blog?" No, I am writing this blog out of personal "anger".

There are not many editors who are such manga otaku. He is a strong man who easily makes enemies among bureaucratic people, but he is the kind of otaku who spares no time to sleep, nearly collapses, and never compromises himself in order to create an interesting story.

We fought a lot, and there were times when we almost came to blows with each other, but it was like a ritual for those who were seriously trying to create an interesting work.

I would like to say that if you can't keep up with it, don't become a cartoonist! If you refuse to have contact with people because your job is to draw people, don't come into this world of manga!

Allow me to digress for a moment.

When Makoto Raiku won the Shogakukan Manga Award, Toshiyuki Hari (畭俊之), the editor who started "Konjiki no Gash!" (though I don't know if he was still in charge of it at the time), asked Shigeru Kanmuri, "Raiku doesn't know many manga artists, so could you and Hashiguchi, join the celebration, even if its joining us a little later?" Shigeru Kanmuri asked me, "Since he doesn't know many other manga artists, and I think I can understand his position, would you join us?"

Naturally, I readily agreed and joined Mr. Raiku's celebration.

Frankly speaking, I don't think there is a single thing for Raiku to thank Kanmuri for, but certainly there isn't a single thing warranting this sort of slander... It's absolutely terrible.

Secondly, as for the editors Mr. Masashi Takashima (高島雅) and Mr. Yosuke Iizuka (飯塚洋介), I know them both as editors who have a very sincere attitude toward manga. Takashima is a smiling, Buddha-like person, and he has a great theory about manga production. Mr. Iizuka and I once had a heated discussion about manga that brought tears to my eyes. They are such serious people when it comes to manga. I cannot understand Mr. Raiku's behavior to undermine them.

Think about it. Editors come and go. Do good adults who work for a magazine company act childishly by intimidating their classmates at their new school by saying, "Ooo, I'm so scared," as if they are not to be taken seriously? Think about it from a common sense point of view. Shogakukan is not an elementary school. In a sense, it was the editors who were accosted by a thug who happened to see them on the street and suddenly said, "What do you think you're gonna do with that gun?" An author who has won the Shogakukan Manga Award, and even had his work adapted into an anime, is a scary presence for an editor, who, on the contrary, may hold power over that very editor.

I often borrow the name of an editor for a character in my manga, and I am borrowing Masashi Takashima's name this time. He is a very important character for my manga.

I believe that his reputation has been severely tarnished by this current lawsuit. Frankly speaking, it is an obstruction of business.

To be frank, I couldn't do my job if the manga artist in charge of the project I was editing takes me to court over something of this magnitude. What will you do if the editor shrinks because of this incident, and you can't have serious meetings with him?

I think other editors will have a hard time doing their job because of this incident. I am really annoyed by this!!!!

If my respected editors are going to sue him for defamation over this matter, I am ready to stand as a witness.

P.S. Sorry, but I am too busy with my work to respond to comments and other comments, so I will refuse to comment.

Shonen Sunday Responds

Dear Readers,

Thank you for reading Shonen Sunday.

We apologize for the great concern caused by the complaint filed against us by Makoto Raiku regarding the loss of the artwork. We take this matter seriously and will respond to it in good faith.

We have received comments and inquiries from you regarding the statement and complaint that Mr. Raiku posted on his blog, but we are unable to respond to them at this time because the matter is still pending. We do not believe that the statements made in the blog about our company or our employees are true. We intend to clarify our position in court.

The editorial department of "Shonen Sunday" will continue to strive to create interesting works with sincerity.
We hope that you will continue to read our magazine.

Shogakukan "Shonen Sunday" Editorial Department ^[14]

Mayu Shinjo Offers Her Thoughts

Do we have to cut ourselves to the bone and present new works when we don't even have a story?
At some point, I think to myself, "I don't want to draw this kind of story anymore. I want to take this series in a different direction."
When I asked my editor about it, he said, "Then this series is over."
We were having dinner with my editor at the time, but he just got up and left.
I've been working for this magazine for many years, and I've done so much that I feel I've made some kind of contribution.
I was so happy to have been able to contribute in some small way to the magazine, and yet I had to end it like this, without a word of thanks...
My mind went blank.

I wondered what my thirteen years had been all about.
And the next magazine I was assigned to move on to required me to be no different from the Mayu Shinjo I had been up until then...
I don't think it's a good idea to choose my words at a time like this, so I'm going to say this clearly.
I didn't want to draw H manga anymore.
That was not what I was thinking at the time.
I had been thinking about it ever since I finished "Kaikan Phrase".
But I had created a trend, and I ended up strangling myself.
At that time, I was not allowed to go against the flow.
And I did not want to go to a magazine that wanted the same Mayu Shinjo that I had already been.

After much worrying and agonizing, I made up my mind to leave Shogakukan.
When I told this to the editor, he said, "Then, I'll put all your publications out of print!" I was shocked.
I said, "Are you threatening me?"
He said, "You're the one threatening me!"
I started consulting a lawyer around this time.

I am surprised at the magnitude of the impact of yesterday's blog post.
I almost inadvertently updated the Guinness World Records for the Uechi-san.
At any rate, the official site is currently down on the server.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
We have received a lot of feedback and e-mails.
I think I have said what I need to say.
I would like to make the blog a place of information and fan service for our fans.
From now on, I would like to keep the blog fun and interesting as usual.
I'll leave the rest to Kumeta-sensei...

Koji Kumeta Makes Some Veiled Comments As Well

"... Alright, jokes aside. It's the first anniversary since my pre-death funeral, everyone! Did you all get over your grief and share stories about the departed?

What's that? You forgot!? I guess people forget about you when you've been dead for a year. How sad.

... So what's with all of you, wanting so bad to trash talk my dead personage!? I'll have you know that anyone who trash-talked me since my funeral last year is going to hell for blasphemy. Too bad, so sad!!

Manga artists who forced the deceased to make stupid speeches are going to hell. Readers who spoiled the deceased storylines are going to hell." ^[18]

"...Anyway, since all you blasphemers didn't even bother to share stories about the deceased, I'll go ahead and share my own stories.

So, ahem, before he died, the deceased drew manga for Kodansha and before that he worked for Shonen Sunday and Shogakukan...

Wait! You want me to talk about all that? At this point!? Right when I was beginning to forget about those days of shame and humiliation. Right when I finally thought I had finally achieved peace in death.

Recently a whole bunch of people from different publishers came to visit me. They have these huge grins on their faces and tell me, 'So it looks like you're a big-shot now.' But they always leave and never mention any type of new job for me. They just ask me, 'so are the stories about that true?' It just makes me want to scream, 'no! The anime is all over now!'

I mean, I usually reveal the answers anyway. Somewhere. Either backstage or in this paper blog, or maybe even in the manga. It's because everyone always thinks everything I write is a big joke. If I say I'm going to sue someone, it's a joke. Oh wow, that big-shot manga artist sued someone in a court of law? Has society come to this?" ^[19]

"So there was one story that made it in the normal graphic novel, but not into the collector's edition. It was a story about a person of a certain sexual preference, house-sitting for the main character when he was away.

The title was... *ahem* "Homo Alone".

When the main character comes back to the house, the house-sitter has laid various traps for him, and the story ends with the main character on the verge of receiving a surprise from behind.

When I complained to my editor about it being cut from the collector's edition, he calmly explained to me that *even Kodansha* couldn't print that." ^[20]

As Hans set beneath the parapets of the Hitosubashi Bridge, his editor approached him and said, "Congratulations, your series has been officially adopted." As he was a very dedicated writer, he had gained respect from other writers in society, but was still berated as "third rate" by people in the office that produced the manga magazine. If you work hard and contribute to the company, you will be treated as equal... That's a huge lie. No matter how hard he worked, he was still treated like a dog. Working as a manga artist is like serving a sentence. No matter how hard you struggle, you're still below the office workers... "Make sure not to tire yourself out. Otherwise, the office workers will take advantage of you." Hearing his mentor's gentle words stirred Hans form his stupor. "Don't compare them to me, you fourth-rate mentor!" His mentor was twice below the office workers. ^[21]

Other Sunday Artists Weigh In

Comments from the Wider Manga World

I thought "Mayu-tan haaaaaa".
No, seriously.
That's all. ^[25]

I was informed by friends of the prosecution of a famous manga artist.
His statement was really painful to read.
But I guess every manga artist has this kind of experience.
To be honest, I have never heard of anyone who hasn't had a similar experience.
A manga artist friend of mine used to work in an editorial department where the first thing they taught new editors was that manga artists are idiots.
Some editors say, "I only listen to one side of the story when the creator says he or she had a bad experience." Especially when the creator is a woman, there is a tendency to dismiss our concerns as as a hysteria peculiar to women. ^[26]

I know a writer who writes for the weekly magazine, Shonen Sunday.
When he started a new series, an editor told him, "Please draw One Piece."

Please draw One Piece.
Please draw something that will be made into an anime, in other words.

One Piece is a popular manga by Jump.
Please don't misunderstand me. It is not "Please draw something like One Piece."
It is "Please draw me a 'One Piece'."

And the manga artist was forced to start a new serial in just a few months.
Usually, when you create a new work, you get a long period of time off for preparation.
However, this person hardly had any time to think about it, and the manga artist did not even give his consent.
The magazine's advance notice reads, "New serialization by Mr. XXX starting with issue No. 1!" without the manga artist's consent.
He can't back out now... (^-^-^...)

"Well, let's give it a hundred percent and call it good."
If you want to make a super popular work like One Piece, you absolutely need the cooperation of the editorial department.
There is a limit to the number of ideas you can come up with on your own.
It's not enough to come up with ideas on your own though; you need to share your opinions and come up with a well-developed manga.
It's only by creating a well-developed manga that you can create an interesting and popular series that sells well.
However, the editorial department here has never cooperated with us in any way, despite the fact that they asked us to draw a popular work that would be made into an anime.
They didn't even look for a reference book that the artist had asked for.

Those are the circumstances that the manga artist had to begin this new series under.
Unfortunately, it didn't gain in popularity, and the series was terminated prematurely. (-_-)

The artist became distrustful of the editorial department, quit making manga altogether, and returned to his parents' home.
He said, "I don't want to draw manga anymore if I have to work like this." ^[27]

I have no more sympathy for the manga artist who sued Shogakukan and published a blog about it, nor for the artist who posted a blog in response, other than to say that they are kids.
As far as the blogs are concerned, they are both completely incapable of doing something as basic as thinking things over from another person's point of view, and it's nothing more than childish name-calling, which I am ashamed of as a fellow manga artist.
The most surprising thing about this issue is that the artist, who has brought so much positive economic growth to the magazine, was paid only 13,000 yen for the manuscript and 17,000 yen for color artwork. What kind of bubble gag manga artist is that?
Incidentally, the amount of money Takeguma presented as the industry average in "Why are manga manuscript fees so low?" was 20,000 yen in black and white, as I recall. I don't know what he based the 20,000 yen figure on, and I've never met anyone who receives such a large amount of money.
However, even though the way he expressed his anger was childish, the anger was certainly genuine. ^[28]

So I was quite surprised.
Yesterday, this blog received 414 views.
This is the first time I have received triple-digit number of views.

Makoto Raiku sued Sunday.
And the criticism of the editorial department was made under his real name.
So quite a lot of people are interested in this matter.

I also made my debut in Sunday.
And I published a serial for one year in an extra edition of the magazine.
During the serialization, I was sometimes told unreasonable things and treated like an idiot by the editor, which made me quite angry, but I put up with it because I was still a young rookie in the middle of my twenties. I was not treated roughly or abused like Mr. Raiku was.

I still strongly remember bad things being said about a certain manga artist who had left Shogakukan and moved to Kodansha, saying, "It's not right for Shogakukan to publish manga this way."

Even though it was off-the-record small talk between the manga artist and the editor.
I am a fan of the manga artist, and not only did I not have a good feeling about it, but I also gave me a bad impression of the manga artist.
I was disappointed and even angry at the artist, saying, "He was a man who made judgments based on likes and dislikes and spoke so eloquently of 'the best'..."

Still, I tried to think that he might have been joking.
However, given Sunday's internal situation as revealed by Mr. Raiku, I now think that he must have been serious.

The person who was my editor is not mentioned in Mr. Raiku's story at all.
Besides, I don't know how I can follow up now after rehashing the past like this, but...
I was allowed to draw serious stories even though I was writing a gag manga, and I was given the opportunity to work on detailed projects.
I was a newcomer, and they tried to nurture me properly.
In the end, I left Sunday because I was not good enough.
I have no trouble saying that, frankly.

But I have heard many rumors about people who left Sunday because of various troubles.
With Raiku's revelation and the lawsuit, it seems that more and more other manga artists are publishing their blogs and other media about how they feel they were treated unreasonably by Sunday or other Shogakukan editors.
Then there are manga artists like Takashi Hashiguchi who are defending the editorial department and criticize Raiku.
(There is also a theory that he is an imposter who is trying to pass himself off as Mr. Hashiguchi, but its authenticity is unknown.)
It is somewhat of a quagmire.
It's the 50th anniversary of Sunday's first issue, and it's a memorable year with collaborations with Shonen Magazine and so on.
I can't believe that these problems are exposed...

Although some of Mr. Raiku's points may seem childish, I would like to support Mr. Raiku.
I think he said it well!
I hope that this will be the start of a common sense, fifty-fifty relationship between artists and their editors. ^[29]

With a manga manuscript lost, an author sues Shogakukan.

Well ....
Interesting....

After reading the author's blog, I have no desire to support him at all (!). However, this kind of action and objection from a manga artist should be welcomed.
As a manga artist who debuted in Shonen Sunday (honorable mention in the New Comic Award, lol), I would like to keep a close eye on the future.

I have lost manuscripts myself and have been annoyed by the editor's smirking apology, but... that's as far as it usually goes, and frankly, it's "we're on the same page" (!).
But... that's all there is to it, and frankly speaking, we are "at each other's throats" (!) and the idea of a lawsuit never even crossed my mind.
This is probably because this author is not as proud of his "manga" or as willing to take responsibility for his work.

In fact, I have no idea where my manuscripts are right now.
Is it in my room? Did I send it to my parents' house? Has it not been returned?

On the other hand, it is not as if the act of drawing manga is the price of neurosis so that I can quickly dispose of my manuscripts as combustible garbage, so they are probably somewhere.

However, since I have digitalized the finishing touches, I have a lot of manuscripts left over...
I wonder what the concept of a manuscript is for those who draw all their manga on PC...
Grumble...

--- ....
Maybe it's time to read "Manga Methond" (まんが道) again.
Fujimoto-sensei and Abiko-sensei threw away their manuscripts while on the train.... ^[30]

Until now I have not written about why I left this industry (Shogakukan).

I honestly didn't want to relive it again.

I may have certainly done some things that were not mature.
However, I have never felt such a painful sense of unreasonableness.
The truth is, I was left wondering what had been done to me and why I had left Shogakukan and quit my profession as a manga artist. I did not want to mention any of that.

[...]

Raiku-sensei, thank you for giving me the courage to write this article. ^[31]

Shogakukan
There seems to be a lot of activity around my publishing company.
I'm Hanamizawa, who has never seen the dark side of Shogakukan.
It's not that I'm lucky, it's just that I'm not a graduate of the company.
I wonder if I'm taking the outsider's position...?
The people at Shogakukan Productions were also very nice and humble.
I am not trying to praise Shogakukan.
I'm not a good-natured person.
I just don't see it.
I've never seen the dark side of any publishing company.
I have never been verbally abused by an editor I have been assigned to...
I have never coughed up blood.
I have never been hospitalized after collapsing after working all night.
I have never been forced to draw a manga I didn't want to draw...
I don't even get into arguments.
If the editor's idea is not good, I say I want to make it more interesting, I'm not forced to do anything...
It was a peaceful day today.
Maybe it's because I don't like to fight.
I envy those who fight with passion...I shouldn't say that.
Do those who are verbally abusive have the strength to accept things?
Is it not worth it?
Is it a small thing?
Ah... I'm becoming more and more self-reflective. ^[32]

The Verdict

1. Publishers, when entrusted with manga manuscripts, must respect the value of the manuscripts and manage them with the duty of care of a good manager. 　　　
2. The manuscripts entrusted to the publisher shall be returned to the cartoonist promptly when they are ready for publication, that is, at the stage of making a positive film, and the manuscripts shall not be managed more than necessary. ^[33]

1. In social activities where the creativity of a creator's works, the foundation for the sound development of culture is formed by respecting the creativity and originality of individual creators, and by establishing a climate in which this is respected. Especially in the case of manga publishing, the manga manuscript itself is indispensable for commercialization, and the visual impression of the manga itself, coupled with the story of the manga, which have artistic value. Therefore, it is necessary for those involved in these activities to have the attitude of fully respecting the intentions of the creators who have established these values.
2. We believe that legally and ethically, the following rules must be observed when manga manuscripts are handled by publishers.
3. (This item included the setting of the multiplier for compensation, but in the details of the settlement at this time, we promised not to disclose the breakdown of the amount, so we will not disclose it here.) ^[34]

Postscript: Did Things Get Better?

"It was very difficult to deal with and caused a lot of stress, especially with a weekly publication... It was pretty much Hell. At some point, I was no longer doing it for the sake of the readers, or even for the sake of the manga as a body of work. I was just drawing storyboards and layouts solely to get his approval and keep going... Just thinking about how nothing I drew would get approved made it more and more difficult to draw successive pages, and nonsensical cuts and edits made it hard for me to draw anything at all." ^[35]

Footnotes

• [1] Raiku, Makoto. "I'm Suing Shogakukan." MakotoRaiku.com. June 6, 2008, 8:40 PM. Accessed October 21, 2022. http://raikumakoto.com/archives/5649678.html.
• [2] Raiku is asking for ¥4,900,000 yen as compensation for the the five pages of lost full color artwork. Accounting for inflation by 2022 this would be roughly ¥5,198,603 or in US dollars roughly $35,200. As mentioned later in this article many artists were stunned by the low page rate Raiku was getting from Shonen Sunday.
• [3] A "name" (ネーム/neemu) is a rough layout of each page of a manga akin to a "storyboard" or a "rough layout".
• [4] Shigeru Kanmuri comes back into this story later. See note 8 for details on his involvement. Of interest to our readers Masanao Murakami (村上正直) and Yosuke Iizuka (飯塚洋介) were both editors for Rumiko Takahashi during Inuyasha. You can read comments from them on her work here. Iizuka is the editor that lost the pages it seems.
• [5] The Faudo Arc of the manga is quite lenghty running from volume 20 to 29. Interestingly, the anime adaptation used this storyline as its conclusion which is what Raiku had desired for the manga as he indicates here. Ultimately the manga would continue to run until volume 33. Makoto Raiku revived the manga with the sequel beginning self-publication in 2022. The English adaptation of Konjiki no Gash! (titled Zatch Bell) was published by Viz but suddenly ceased publication in June 2009 at volume 25. Though no reason was ever given, due to the timing it is safe to assume it was due to Raiku's lawsuit against Shogakukan (who also own Viz).
• [6] The injured assistant has not been named. Raiku's most successful former assistant is Yellow Tanabe (田辺イエロウ) of Kekkaishi fame. However Tanabe had already begun her own work by the time of this incident in 2008, so she is certainly not the assistant in question. For clarity sake it should be noted that Yellow Tanabe also worked as an assitant to Mitsuru Adachi and Yozo Shimizu, so she was not solely trained under Raiku. Some of Raiku's other assistants include Haro Aso (麻生羽呂) (who published Hyde and Closer and Alice in Borderland), Yohei Sakai (酒井ようへい) (who published Journey to the East), Takayoshi Kuroda (黒田高祥), Atsushi Kamikawa (上川敦志) and Fukui Ashibi (福井あしび).
• [7] It is not mentioned in this legal document, but after breaking his hand Raiku had to take a three-month hiatus from publishing Konjiki no Gash! while his injury healed.
• [8] Shigeru Kanmuri (冠茂) was Takashi Hashiguchi (Yakitate Japan!)'s editor at Shonen Sunday at the time. It's unclear why Masashi Takashima mentioned him as being a friend in particular, however Kanmuri would later begin editing Raiku's former assistant, Yohei Sakai's manga Journey to the East (東遊記/Touyuki) which was cancelled after Sakai followed Kanmuri's story notes. Takashi Hashiguchi was obviously very fond of Shigeru Kanmuri as he named a very major character in Yakitate Japan! after him. You'll note further down in the article that when the legal proceedings begin Hashiguchi volunteers to testify on behalf of the good character of the editors that Raiku takes issue with. Obviously Takashi Hashiguchi had a significantly more positive impression of the Sunday editorial staff than Raiku did. The events here take place in 2008. By 2015 Shonen Sunday sales have declined and the magazine is in a precarious spot that may see it shuttered. The new editor-in-chief Takenori Ichihara issues a proclaimation saying he is going to right the ship, a document which is signed by the editors of Sunday as he states he'll dismiss any editors not on board with his vision. This Japanese blog points out that Kanmuri was not among those who signed it, while another blog states that he had already been reassigned to Big Comic Spirits around the time the proclaimation was issued. Another blog points out that Wild Life mangaka Masato Fujisaki praised Kanmuri for convincing him to join Sunday and giving him good suggestions as his editor and then years later saying he had no good memories from his Wild Life days. This site also gives a good summation of how the issues were seen to have been handled and Kanmuri's responsibility (or absolving him from responsibility).
• [9] Yuu Koyama (小山ゆう) published a number of works in Shonen Sunday in the early 1980s including Ganbare Genki, Oi Ryoma and Sprinter. The work that Raiku is referring to is a short story for the 50th anniversary of Shonen Sunday. It hasn't been collected, however I own the story so I'll let you judge for yourself if it is an honest depiction of Koyama's experience with a Sunday editor or a humorous exaggeration. Perhaps it is somewhere in the middle, as a young editor takes no interest in Koyama and plays with his phone throughout their meeting.
• [10] Takashi Shiina (椎名高志) is a prolific blogger and Twitter user. He is best known for his manga series Ghost Sweeper Mikami, Zettai Karen Children and also for his adaptation of Rumiko Takahashi's Inuyasha spin-off series Yashahime.
• [11] What Raiku is saying here is that the lost drawings should be worth even more than what he is asking because they actually appeared in print, unlike the two drawings he auctioned via Yahoo Auction in order to derive a baseline monetary value for his work. Those drawings were original and had not been published, which he posits makes them worth less than the lost images.
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Rumic World
Published: June 12, 2008
Author: Harley Acres
Translated by: Harley Acres
Archived: October 23, 2022
ISBN/Web Address: https://www.furinkan.com/ features/articles/raiku.html
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