Illustrator of the manga The Apothecary Diaries Nekokurage has confirmed that she will continue to write the series.
This was revealed in a statement released on her official X account on September 9, 2024, following the recent court ruling regarding her tax evasion case.
In the statement, Nekokurage acknowledged the severity of her tax issues and announced that she is currently receiving guidance from a trusted tax accountant.
She also expressed deep regret for the situation and pledged to avoid such problems.
“I sincerely apologise for the trouble I have caused regarding my tax affairs. I deeply regret the judgment I received in court recently and am currently receiving support from a trusted tax accountant. I pledge to never let something like this happen again.”
The illustrator confirmed that she will continue working on Drug preparation diaryexpressing gratitude to both her readers and the parties involved in the decision to allow her to retain her creative touch.
“In addition, I am very grateful to the readers who expressed their desire to continue reading my work even under these circumstances, and to the parties involved who made the decision to allow me to continue creating. In the future, I hope to be able to atone for my mistakes and repay everyone through my continued work.
I plan to approach my creations with even more care and I would appreciate it if people would continue to see my work in the future.“
Square Enix previously confirmed that it has no plans to cancel publication of The Apothecary Diaries manga following the artist's sentencing.
Nekokurage was found guilty of failing to report approximately 260 million yen in income from 2019 to 2021, resulting in approximately 47 million yen in income tax evasion. The artist failed to file his taxes on time, leading to charges of tax evasion.
The Fukuoka District Court sentenced the artist to 10 months in prison, suspended for three years, and a fine of 11 million yen.
This means the artist will not have to go to jail if she stays out of trouble for three years.
Judge Takeda pointed out that Nekokurage's manga had suddenly become popular, leading to significant income, but she prioritized her immediate work and personal life over fulfilling her tax obligations.
Although the artist paid the full amount, including any applicable late fees, she had a habit of filing her tax returns late, combining multiple years' worth of moves into a single filing.
She continued this despite her editor and the original author of Drug preparation diary urged her to settle her tax responsibilities.
The Apothecary Diariesadapted from the manga by Itsuki Nanao and illustrated by Nekokurage began in the 6th 2017 issue of Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan magazine, released on May 25, 2017. Square Enix has compiled its chapters into individual tankobon volumes.
The first volume was published on September 25, 2017. As of March 25, 2024, 13 volumes have been published.
Source: X
