My Apothecary Diaries has seen incredible success since its anime adaptation by Toho Animation Studio and OLM was released in October 2023. Sadly, the same can’t be said for its manga illustrator, Nekokurage, whose real name is Erika Ikeda. Following a brain aneurysm diagnosis in late March, the artist faced a tax evasion case in early April for reportedly violating the Income Tax Act from 2019 to 2021. A month after her sentencing, Nekokurage finally breaks her silence and confirms her return to illustrate the hit series continuously.
In a post on X (as translated by Dexerto), Nekokurage shared a personal message to update her fans and followers and apologized for the trouble caused by her legal issues. She explained why it took her over a month to issue a statement following the court ruling in July. The Fukuoka District Court found her guilty of evading almost ¥47 million in taxes.
“I sincerely reflect on the recent court ruling, and with the support of a trusted tax advisor, I vow to never let this happen again,” she promised.
In addition to paying a fine of ¥11 million or about $76,000, Nekokurage also received a 10-month prison sentence suspended for three years. This means that she can avoid serving prison time if she shows good behavior during that period. After publisher Square Enix earlier confirmed that it would not cancel My Apothecary Diaries following Nekokurage’s sentence, the latter expressed her gratitude for being able to continue her work.
“I am grateful to the readers who still wish to read my work despite this situation and to the people who allowed me to continue drawing,’ she continued. “Moving forward, I hope to make amends by continuing to create manga.”
Nekokurage added that she would cherish her work now more than ever and hoped people would still enjoy her creations. However, it remains to be seen when the manga will continue after its latest Chapter 76 was released on July 25. Chapter 76’s release date remains unknown.
The Apothecary Diaries Director Teases “Even Larger” Season 2
Meanwhile, following a successful first season, The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 was quickly announced. It is expected to continue focusing on the budding romance between Jinshi and Maomao. In addition, director Norihiro Naganuma told Crunchyroll that he plans to resolve some of the mysteries introduced in Season 1 while teasing an “even larger” second season.
“There will be more developments,” he teased. “The story will become even larger. There are a lot of mysteries from Season 1 that grow in complexity and then are resolved.”
Naganuma also revealed that Maomao and Jinshi’s relationship would develop as they started growing and working together. Of course, there would also be new characters who could either be friends or allies. As there will be a lot to wait for, he promised to do their best to make the second season great.
The anime is based on the light novel series of the same name, written by Natsu Hyuga and illustrated by Touko Shino. It has been adapted into two manga, one published by Square Enix and the other by Shogakukan. J-Novel Club has licensed the novel digitally in the US, while Square Enix has licensed the print edition. Square Enix has also licensed the manga illustrated by Nekokurage in English. The anime streams on Crunchyroll.
Now that Nekokurage has returned to working on The Apothecary Diaries, fans may soon see the manga continue. Hopefully, things have improved for the artist following the various life challenges she has faced.
