The Kyoto District Court building (Mainichi/Takuya Murata)

       TOKYO -- Publisher Kodansha Ltd. has axed serialization of two titles in its girls' manga magazine following its discovery the author was convicted of sexually assaulting an elementary school girl.

       Kodansha announced it had halted serialization of "Harapeko Penguin Cafe" and "Tom to Jerry: Nanairo" which appeared in the magazine "Nakayoshi," starting in the March 2019 issue and the August 2021 issue, respectively. According to the publisher, the titles had been written by "Chara Chara Makiart," a team name of the convicted author and another person.

       One of the two creators was arrested in May this year on suspicion of assaulting the girl from the spring to summer of 2020. He was charged with forcible indecency and violation of child prostitution and child pornography laws, and the Kyoto District Court on Nov. 25 handed him a three-year prison sentence, suspended for five years with probation, which has since been finalized. News that the author had been convicted was reported on Dec. 14.

       The publisher found out about the case at the end of October this year. It explained, "There was no report (from the man), and since the drawings were done by the coauthor, the manuscript had been sent to us as usual, so we were unable to learn of the case even after the indictment."

       Kodansha apologized on its official website, saying that what the man had been found guilty of was "a despicable and malicious act that cannot be tolerated." It said it would respond with refunds or accept returns of the comic books.

       (Japanese original by Tomofumi Inagaki, Cultural News Department)

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