Renowned manga creator Masami Kurumada, celebrated for his work on Saint Seiya and Ring ni Kakero, convened a press conference on September 2 to disclose that he has initiated legal proceedings against a former male employee accused of embezzling a substantial sum from him (as reported by Abema Times).
Kurumada revealed that he had delegated the management of his business affairs to the ex-staff member to allow him to concentrate on his artistic endeavors. However, the individual is alleged to have misappropriated 46.86 billion yen (approximately $30 million USD) from Kurumada over a span of more than a decade.
The manga artist uncovered this fraud about two years ago, at which time his company, Kurumada Production, had “very little money left in its accounts,” rendering it unable to settle outstanding taxes. He asserts that the staff member had “stolen almost everything” from him, leaving him in a dire predicament where, “at worst, Kurumada Production could have gone bankrupt, and I, Masami Kurumada, might have been ruined as a manga artist as well.”
The mangaka states that he has endured the past two and a half years grappling with anxiety and despair, yet remains determined to press forward with his creative pursuits.
“When I found out, I simply couldn’t believe it. Rather than anger, I had gone beyond that point and just felt empty. I thought, So there really are people who can unhesitantly betray something they were trusted with for their own selfish greed. It was an unbearable sense of helplessness. For a time, I myself was even on the verge of losing faith in people. But from here on, I still want to keep working hard and continue writing for the readers around the world, and for all the people who love Saint Seiya and my manga.”