Shonen Jump stands as one of manga’s fundamental treasures. The magazine chain hosts some of the medium’s most popular titles, and it brought icons like Dragon Ball to life years ago. Nowadays, series like My Hero Academia reign supreme but even stories are the top aren’t invulnerable. This weekend saw some fans turn against the manga, and Shonen Jump‘s publisher is speaking out on the controversy.
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For those unaware, the issue cropped up after My Hero Academia put out its most recent chapter. The update honed in on Dr. Ujiko, the mad scientist who works under All For One and experiments on people to create the Nomu. The chapter shared the doctor’s full name, and some were horrified when they realized his last name was rooted in horrific Japanese war crimes committed during World War II.
Of course, the info was spread quickly, and a growing petition online began asking for the name to be changed. Now, the publisher Shueisha has put out a statement about the issue to confirm the offensive name will be changed.
“It was pointed out that the character Maruta Shiga of My Hero Academia has a name “recalling past historical facts”,” the publisher shared (via Aitaikimochi).
“In naming, the author and editorial department have no such intention. However, it is not our intention to superimpose the work with unrelated historical facts. Therefore, in consultation with the author, we decided to change the person’s name when drawing the manga.”
As you can see, Shonen Jump is making it clear that the name Maruta was not used with an ulterior motive. Horikoshi has also released a statement seconding the apology for his ignorance. Now, fans can expect the doctor to get a new name shortly, and you can bet it will be as plain as possible.
Are you glad to know the name is being changed? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime.
My Hero Academia was created by Kohei Horikoshi for Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in 2014. The story follows Izuku Midoriya, who lives in a world where everyone has powers, even though he was born without them. Dreaming to become a superhero anyway, he’s eventually scouted by the world’s best hero All Might and enrolls in a school for professional heroes.
