Hisashi Eguchi Faces Plagiarism Accusations After Using Woman’s Photo for Illustration

Famous manga artist Hisashi Eguchi has found himself at the center of controversy — not for his talent or style, but for an accusation of plagiarism. The artist, best known for classics like Susume!! Pirates and Stop!! Hibari-kun!, is being accused of using a young woman’s photo as the basis for one of his illustrations.

Hisashi Eguchi plagiarism: young woman claims he copied her image

The controversy began when a promotional artwork by Hisashi Eguchi was unveiled for the upcoming Chuo Line Culture Festival 2025, scheduled for October 19, 2025. The piece depicted a stylish young woman — a drawing that immediately caught the eye of Tamaki Kanai, who noticed it looked strikingly similar to one of her own photos.

Curious about the resemblance, Kanai contacted the artist to ask about it. To the surprise of many, Hisashi Eguchi admitted that he had indeed used her photo as a reference, claiming that he had received her permission to use it again. He later mentioned this on his official Twitter/X account, though his explanation didn’t convince everyone.

Hypocrisy? Eguchi once criticized others for tracing real photos

The backlash quickly intensified because Hisashi Eguchi had previously criticized artists who trace or directly copy real photos for their backgrounds or settings. In past comments, he called such practices “a total lack of imagination.”

So when he confirmed doing something similar himself — using Kanai’s photo as a reference — fans were quick to call him out for hypocrisy and inconsistency.

Another user claims Eguchi used their image too

As the initial scandal spread, another online user stepped forward with a similar complaint. This person claimed that Eguchi had also used their photo as the base for another illustration, this time part of a promotional campaign for the Japanese eyewear brand Zoff.

Although the manga artist hasn’t commented on this second case, the similarities between the original photo and the released art are, according to many, obvious. However, Eguchi’s situation is only getting worse, as a veritable manhunt has begun, and fans are discovering that several of his illustrations are copied from photos. See a short compilation below:

Although Eguchi has not commented on this second case, the similarities between the photo and his illustration appear undeniable to many viewers, adding even more fuel to the fire.

Who is Hisashi Eguchi?

For those unfamiliar with him, Hisashi Eguchi is a renowned Japanese manga artist and illustrator, admired for his clean, expressive art style that influenced an entire generation. He debuted in the 1970s with Susume!! Pirates in Weekly Shonen Jump and quickly rose to fame.

His most iconic work, Stop!! Hibari-kun!, stood out for its progressive and humorous exploration of crossdressing, groundbreaking for its time. Later in his career, Eguchi shifted toward editorial illustration and design, collaborating with fashion magazines, advertising companies, and animation studios on highly recognized projects.

Despite his impressive legacy, the recent Hisashi Eguchi plagiarism controversy has cast a shadow over his career — reigniting debates about the fine line between artistic inspiration and creative theft in modern illustration.