Saint Seiya Creator Masami Kurumada Sues Former Director Over Money Misappropriation
The creator of Saint Seiya (Knights of the Zodiac), Masami Kurumada sues former director after alleging that billions of yen were taken from his companies without authorization.
Kurumada revealed the lawsuit during a press conference held in Tokyo. The case involves a former director and other people connected to three companies owned by the manga creator, including Kurumada Productions, which manages copyrights and products related to his works.
According to the author’s legal representatives, the main defendant was also his former manager and was responsible for handling the companies’ accounting. The two had known each other for more than 15 years.
Masami Kurumada Sues Former Director Over Billions of Yen
According to the lawsuit, the defendants allegedly misappropriated money between approximately 2018 and 2024. The accusations include unauthorized transfers of company funds to other accounts and licensing payments being sent to accounts registered under different company names.
The total amount involved is estimated at around 4.6 billion yen, approximately US$29 million.
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Kurumada and his legal representatives are seeking 2.8 billion yen in damages, around US$18 million. Another 1.8 billion yen, approximately US$11 million, has reportedly already been repaid.
Saint Seiya Creator Remains Active
Masami Kurumada is known worldwide for creating Saint Seiya, the manga originally published between 1986 and 1990. The series became one of the most famous anime franchises and has surpassed 35 million copies in circulation.
The author also created other well-known works, including Ring ni Kakero and B’tX.
In 2024, a major exhibition dedicated to his work was announced, but it was canceled just a few months before it was scheduled to take place due to “various circumstances.”
via Mainichi Shimbu