New updates on the status of the person responsible for the illustrations of the manga adaptation of the light novel Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary's Diaries) were provided to the public. According to a report on the website of the Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbunhe Fukuoka District Court, Nekokuragesentenced the artist to ten months of suspended imprisonment and a fine of 11 million yen (about US$70,600) for tax evasion.

Manga illustrator Kusuriya no Hitorigoto receives suspended sentence for tax evasion

However, as the prison sentence is suspended for three years, if the manga illustrator Kusuriya no Hitorigoto If he maintains good behavior over these three years, he will not risk going to prison. Originally, the prosecution had requested a ten-month prison sentence and a fine of 14 million yen ($89,800).

As some may remember, in February of this year, the multimedia franchise Kusuriya no Hitorigoto (The Apothecary's Diaries) was in the midst of a great controversy. This is because Nekokurage was accused by Fukuoka Regional Tax Office failing to declare about 260 million yen (about 1.6 million US dollars) in income and evading about 47 million yen (about 298,887 US dollars) in taxes between 2019 and 2021.

In addition to the National Tax Office reported that the money was concealed Nekokuragewhich includes revenue from sales of the manga Kusuriya no Hitorigotowas used to acquire real estate.

When investigated, Nekokurage He pleaded guilty to tax evasion charges at the first hearing of the case, which took place on May 31 of this year. In this session, Nekokurage He stated that he “had no intention of evading paying taxes” and that he “intended to pay everything at once”.

Through a statement made on his personal Twitter/X account, Nekokurage responded to these allegations by claiming that he did not pay due attention to the tax returns due to his ignorance. In addition, he also mentioned that taxes and fees were paid in 2022 for failure to declare income after receiving instructions from the tax administration and asked a tax accountant for help in filling out the appropriate tax returns.

Another important detail to note is that Nekokurage clarified that this whole situation is a personal matter, separating the author from the original light novel Kusuriya no Hitorigoto and other people involved in creating the manga adaptation of the work.

Kusuriya no Hitorigotoalso known as The Apothecary's Diaries In the West, it is a popular light novel written by Natsu Hyuga and illustrated by Touko Shino which began its publication in the press Bunko Hero from the publisher Shufunotomo as of August 29, 2014. As some will assume, the work is still in publication and the publisher Shufunotomo released a total of 14 volumes + 1st limited edition of the work.

The light novel Kusuriya no Hitorigoto It has a manga adaptation made by the illustrator Nekokurage. This manga adaptation began its serialization in the magazine Great Gangan from the publisher Square Enix since September 2017.

However, the original work also has another manga adaptation, entitled Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Maomao no Koukyuu Nazotoki Techouwhich is supported by Minoji Kurata and was first published in August 2017 in the magazine Gekkan Sunday Gene-X from the publisher Shogakukan.

Thanks to the good public reception of the light novel Natsu Hyuga and Touko ShinoIn February 2023, the production of an anime adaptation for Kusuriya no Hitorigoto. The anime series began airing on Japanese television on October 22, 2023.

animation studios OLM and TOHO Animation Studio They were in charge of producing the series and it was broadcast legally through the platform. Crunchy Roll, which is producing a Latin dub in Spanish. Another detail to highlight is that the television anime Kusuriya no Hitorigoto It consisted of a total of 24 episodes in total. A second season has been announced and is scheduled to premiere in Japan in 2025.

«Kusuriya no Hitorigoto»is a captivating novel that immerses readers in the intriguing complexities of the Chinese imperial court. The story follows Maomao, the daughter of an apothecary, who is torn from her peaceful life to be sold and transformed into a simple servant in the lower echelons of the palace.

Despite her humble position, Maomao skillfully conceals her vast knowledge of medicine, seeking to avoid any unwanted attention. However, her fate changes drastically when the emperor's children begin to suffer from mysterious symptoms, setting off a chain of events that will lead her to unravel dark secrets.

As Maomao solves the medical puzzles that plague the imperial court, her insight and skills do not go unnoticed, earning her recognition and promotion to lady-in-waiting to the emperor's favorite concubine, Gyokuyou. With her pharmaceutical knowledge, Maomao becomes an indispensable figure, facing palace intrigues and challenges that will test her ingenuity and bravery.

©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