Act-Age Readers Share Bittersweet Farewell to Manga Following Writer's Arrest
Act-Age was one of the rising series at Shonen Jump, but it has since be relegated to something [...]
Act-Age was one of the rising series at Shonen Jump, but it has since be relegated to something far more infamous. The manga was cancelled this week by Shueisha after its writer Tatsuya Matsuki was arrested by police for acting indecently towards a minor. The arrest sent shockwaves through the fandom, and readers are now being forced to have a bittersweet parting with Act-Age in light of its cancellation.
You can see a slew of those reactions below as readers work through their feelings. The abrupt end of Act-Age has plenty of fans reeling, but the crimes which Matsuki is charged admittedly warrant tough punishment. Fans are unified in their desire for the writer's victims to get justice, but some aren't sure whether canceling the series was necessary.
The decision to axe Act-Age came down from Shonen Jump after the manga's artist was consulted. Matsuki was only the writer of the series while artist Shiro Usazaki did the illustrations. A great many fans flocked to Act-Age because of its unusual yet gorgeous style, and it seems Usazaki was ready to let the series die. After all, the arrests of Matsuki put a shadow over the series, and the young artist shouldn't be weighed down by such a mark.
As you can find below, fans agree the best decision was to cancel Act-Age, and they are struggling to mourn its loss due to the events causing its end. The touchy subject has left readers unsure of how to feel, but they are taking solace in the fact they aren't alone in this.
What do you think about Act-Age's cancellation? What projects should the manga's artist look into doing next? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!
A Hard Break
prevnextDue to the author's questionable actions against minors, Shonen Jump has officially announced the cancellation of the Act-Age manga.
This is so disappointing, especially since Act-Age was an incredibly unique and beautifully written story.
— Joey (@TheAn1meMan) August 11, 2020
I feel so bad for the illustrator, man. https://t.co/SXk5tac04l
A Silver Lining
prevnextIt's awesome that the Jump editorial voiced support for Shiro Usazaki in the very same press release they cancelled "Act-age. I think it's a heartwarming sign they are immediately expressing the desire to create new manga works with her. It's a great notice for the fans too.
— Manga Mogura (@MangaMogura) August 10, 2020
A Strong Take
prevnextAlso just saw what happened w the act-age mangaka and JEEZ it’s such a messed up situation, I hope all the victims are okay, and I hope the artist hasn’t been receiving any harassment over this instead of support. Also f-ck the mangaka I hope he’s in jail
— ceo of inosuke//semi hiatus (@pigassault) August 11, 2020
Rest Well
prevnextrip act-age
2018-2020 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/Fc0iTdeJDB
— ً⁷⁺⁹ (@YONAGISM) August 8, 2020
All Aboard the Art Train
prevnextWell, f-ck act-age's plot. Im just supporting shiro usazaki's art. pic.twitter.com/EgEx11Mn6K
— ❁ gouiyel ❁ (@queenkruI) August 8, 2020
Perspective is Good
prevnextSome of y’all acting more hurt about Act-Age being potentially cancelled than the fact that a girl has allegedly been harassed.
I love the manga with all my heart but like,
Priorities here.
— Killafoe @ Home (@Killafoe1) August 8, 2020
A Solid Vow
prevnextI'm glad that author is getting arrested and pray to God he never works in Manga again. I'm hoping the artist that worked on act-age is able to find success again and hopefully not with a freak attached this time. Most of all I hope the victim gets the justice she deserves
— Sorcerer Salaryman WeatherRE (@ReWeather) August 8, 2020
A Hard Truth
prevF-ck man. It's one of my favorite ongoing series. And those who are saying give it a read, separate author from it's work, honestly don't bother. The story is great but incomplete and that's the worst feeling ever especially when you are following it for a while now.
— Fazeel Ahmed (@MrEmperor_Relix) August 10, 2020