Mangaka Nekokurage, known for her work on the manga adaptation of the popular light novel The Apothecary Diaries (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto) has found herself embroiled in a scandal that has shaken the manga world. After being found guilty of tax evasion, the artist has issued a public apology through her social networks, expressing her deep regret for her actions, in an apology that comes after the artist faced charges of tax evasion and the great controversy it caused among her fans.
Nekokurage the mangaka of The Apothecary Diaries apologizes to her fans
In a recent publication on Twitter/X Erika Ikeda, the artist behind the manga adaptation of The Apothecary Diaries and who uses the pseudonym Nekokurage, expressed her regret for the tax problems she has caused. The public apology was made after the controversy that had generated months ago, where she was investigated and it was determined that she had evaded taxes for an amount of approximately 47 million yen (300 thousand USD) between 2019 and 2021.
During this period, Nekokurage submitted significant income of approximately 260 million yen (1.65 million USD), but failed to comply with the corresponding tax returns on time. Investigations revealed that he had accumulated a considerable tax debt due to delays in his returns, and a first trial hearing had been held in the Fukuoka district, where he faced charges of violating the Income Tax Law.
Although he accepted the charges, the defense argued that the evasion was not intentional, according to The Apothecary Diaries mangaka, the failure to pay was due to the fact that he was waiting to collect all the taxes due from previous years to make a single payment. Although this delay resulted in the accumulation of a relevant debt, moreover, the prosecution pointed out that this is not the first incident of late tax returns in the artist’s career, which intensified the scrutiny on her tax history.
In her apology message, The Apothecary Diaries mangaka Nekokurage expressed her deep regret for any concern caused and thanked the readers who continue to support her works despite the situation. She also thanked the people involved who have allowed her to continue drawing and promised not to repeat such mistakes in the future. She has committed to working with a trusted accountant to regularize her tax situation and hopes to make amends and repay the support through her art.
Despite the tax challenges, Nekokurage has expressed her desire to continue drawing with greater dedication and care. The mangaka is confident that her fans will continue to enjoy her works and is determined to use this experience to improve both her work and her tax responsibilities, with the support of her readers and the help of professionals, she hopes to overcome this obstacle and continue contributing to the world of manga.
©日向夏・イマジカインフォス／「薬屋のひとりごと」製作委員会