Act-Age Author Rehired Under Pseudonym Sparks Major Controversy at Manga One

The author of Act-Age has once again become the center of controversy in Japan after it was revealed that he had been publishing a new work under a different name on the Manga One app. The disclosure intensified public outrage, especially as Manga One was already facing heavy criticism for rehiring a convicted author under a pseudonym.

The case involves Tatsuya Matsuki, the writer of Act-Age, which was serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump. In 2020, Matsuki was arrested for committing indecent acts against a minor student and was later sentenced to 1 year and 6 months in prison, suspended for 3 years. At the time, Shueisha immediately canceled Act-Age following his arrest and conviction.

After the controversy, Manga One officially confirmed that it had also rehired the Act-Age author under a different pseudonym. According to the company’s statement, the publisher was fully aware of his criminal record at the time of hiring.

The author’s new work is titled Seisou no Shinrishi, published under an alias. The company stated that before approving the new project, it verified that Matsuki had completed his sentence, finished his probation period, and was undergoing psychological counseling. The publisher claimed it believed he had shown remorse and was seeking rehabilitation.

Despite these explanations, the decision triggered significant backlash. Readers and fellow artists questioned the hiring process and the lack of transparency. Following the wave of criticism, Manga One announced the suspension of the series and revealed that an independent committee would be formed to investigate how the situation was handled internally.

In its official statement, the company apologized to the victims, readers, and artists involved. It also acknowledged that the way the matter was handled may have caused additional pain to those affected.