Shogakukan's manga distribution app 'Manga One' announced the cancellation of the manga 'Jōjin Kamen' following the involvement of its original author, Ichiro Kazu, in a criminal case. The editorial department acknowledged failures in their hiring and verification process regarding Kazu, who is facing civil litigation for sexual violence against a former student. The Sapporo District Court recently ordered him to pay damages amounting to 11 million yen toward the victim.

Prior to this controversy, Ichiro Kazu, previously known as Yamamoto Shōichi, had his series 'Datensakusen' also suspended after being arrested and fined for criminal activities in 2020. Despite these past incidents, Kazu's new work began serialization in late 2022 under the new name, raising questions about the editorial decisions that allowed his return to the platform. Shogakukan has stated they should not have permitted Kazu to be credited as an original author and have expressed deep regret towards the victims involved.

This incident has sparked discussions around accountability in the publishing industry, particularly in relation to how creators with troubling backgrounds are managed. Many view this case as indicative of a broader issue within Japan regarding the handling of sexual violence cases, where punitive measures and societal attitudes are perceived as insufficient for addressing the severity of such crimes, leading to calls for systemic change to better support victims and ensure safer industry practices.