Renowned mangaka Mayu Shinjo, known for her Sensual Phrase, has sparked controversy within the industry after speaking out against publisher Shogakukan. Shinjo took to her X (formerly Twitter) account to shed light on a troubling encounter involving a fellow manga artist following the criticism.

Shinjo disclosed that she had been targeted by an acquaintance manga artist for her criticism aimed at Shogakukan in the wake of the sudden passing of manga artist Hinako Ashihara, known for her work Sexy Tanaka-San.

In a series of posts, Shinjo expressed her shock and frustration at the situation, revealing that the acquaintance had gone as far as contacting her business partner to relay negative remarks about her. She condemned the underhanded tactics, stating, “I’m the type who thinks it’s natural to have different opinions, but really, what a dirty way to do it“.

Upon checking his social media, she also discovered that the manga artist in question has also made posts on social media criticizing Shinjo and other manga artists who are criticizing Shogakukan

Despite their previous interactions and shared professional connections, Shinjo admitted she never anticipated such betrayal.

“Yesterday, I found out that a male manga artist I know sent a LINE message to the business partner I’m currently working with, saying ‘Mayu Shinjo is making terrible comments, so it would be better to inform the boss.’ When I went to check that manga artist’s posts, I saw statements like ‘Manga artists criticizing Shogakukan are just using the sensei’s death to bash them’ and ‘Is it appropriate to say there’s no respect?’ It was completely off the mark, and I couldn’t help but wonder who was really in the wrong.

Well, you know… I’m the type who thinks it’s natural to have different opinions, but really, what a dirty way to do it. We’ve gone out for drinks several times, and they know people I’m going to work with in the future… But I never expected to be approached from such an oblique angle… By the way, I take responsibility for my remarks, and frankly, it’s risky for my work. There are all kinds of people out there, huh?“

Shinjo’s criticism of Shogakukan stems from a deeper dissatisfaction with the publisher’s corporate culture, as evident by her previous remarks.

Following Ashihara’s passing, Shinjo criticized Shogakukan, revealing, “At the morning meeting, Shogakukan said, ‘We should manage authors so they don’t make such arrogant remarks.‘” She lamented the lack of change in the company’s approach, describing it as “truly disappointing“.

Mayu Shinjo is a Japanese manga artist. She debuted in 1994 in Shogakukan’s Shojo Comic with Anata no Iro ni Somaritai. She continued writing for Shogakukan until 2007, with her works appearing in both Shojo Comic and their other magazine Cheese!. She left the company to go freelance citing a dispute over working conditions and abusive treatment by her editor.

Source: Twitter (1, 2), Yahoo News