There are betrayals that hurt deeply, but the one master Masami Kurumada just endured is outright brazen. The legendary creator of Saint Seiya (Saint Seiya) confirmed at a press conference in Tokyo that he has filed a formal lawsuit against a former director of his companies and former personal agent for the unauthorized diversion of approximately 280 million yen (about 19 million dollars).

The person being sued was no stranger to the author. He was a close collaborator who worked as his personal manager for over fifteen years, handling accounting and actively participating in the founding of his main production company. According to Kurumada’s legal team, between 2018 and 2024, unauthorized transfers and diversions of payments for licensing rights were made to accounts under other companies’ names.

The total amount involved in this fraud reaches an astronomical 460 million yen. Although 180 million has been restored, the legal action seeks to recover the remaining 280 million to compensate for the damage caused to three firms managing the copyrights of his works.

The embezzlement came to light early in 2024 after a review by tax authorities. At the time of discovery, the company’s funds were virtually zero, pushing it to the brink of bankruptcy and preventing timely tax obligations. This delicate situation led to the cancellation of a major original art exhibition the author had planned for mid-year. During the press conference, Kurumada admitted he trusted his manager blindly to focus on his creative work, stating that in over half a century of career, he never imagined experiencing such a betrayal.

Created by Masami Kurumada in 1986, Saint Seiya became one of the pillars of manga and anime worldwide, selling tens of millions of copies globally. The epic adventure of Seiya and the Saints of Athena has expanded over decades with multiple TV adaptations, films, and spin-offs. After finishing Saint Seiya: Next Dimension – The Myth of Hades in July 2024, the mangaka showed his passion for storytelling remains intact by launching his new series Saint Seiya Tenkai-hen in Weekly Shonen Champion in May 2026.

Despite the bitter blow that nearly forced him to retire from drawing, the master vowed to keep creating stories for fans worldwide. What do you think of this complicated situation faced by the creator of the Knights of the Zodiac?