King Hiroethe talented creator of the popular manga franchise “BLACK LAGOON“, recently shared a series of disturbing posts on his Twitter account, revealing his personal struggles with mental health and the impact it has had on his work. His comments have generated great concern among his followers and the manga community at large.

In one of his tweets, Hiroe wrote:

• «The tweet that says “You will lose 10 years if you suffer from depression” is spreading and it is true. It took me four years to release a single volume, working in an irregular serialization without really being able to recover. I still panic when deadlines are tight, so I need plenty of space to write. As a serialized manga author, I haven't been able to recover half of my working capacity, so please be very careful.».

In another post, he added:

• «Still, it was good that at least I was able to keep my desire to create (I'm the type of person who can't move my hands when I try to work.) Some people reach a point where they can't even think, and when that happens, all they can do is sleep all day. I was close to reaching that point.».

These statements reveal the degree of difficulty Hiroe faced due to depression., a problem that has seriously affected his ability to work regularly and meet the demanding deadlines of the manga world. His testimony underscores the gravity of the situation and the need to approach mental health with the seriousness it deserves.

The “BLACK LAGOON” franchise is known for its intense action and complex characters, which has garnered a loyal fan base since its debut. However, Hiroe's struggles with depression resulted in long periods of inactivity and delays in publishing new volumes, something he noted as a direct consequence of his mental state.

Hiroe's honesty in sharing his personal struggles It also opened an important dialogue about mental health in the manga industry.a profession known for its extreme demands and grueling work pace.

• «Health comes first, so please don't overexert yourself, Hiroe-sensei, and work at your own pace. And I really think that a job that doesn't lose its luster over the years is amazing.».
• «No, really, thank you very much for your effort. Please don't overexert yourself. Let's wait patiently.».
• «Even if you stop taking the medication, it will take a few years to get back on track. And even if you do recover, you will never reach the peak of your former ability. The longer you take the medication, the longer it will take to recover.».
• «Depression is tough, right? (I've had remissions and relapses several times.) For Hiroe-san, the irregular and forced serialization without proper recovery is probably the reason why he can't achieve remission… Really, thank you very much for your efforts. It's okay to work at your own pace. Please don't try too hard».
• «I'm in my tenth year... I worked in the food industry, but at least in the old sense of the word, returning to my previous professional life is impossible. The only thing left to do is to earn money my way and with a new approach.».

Source: Hachima Kikou