Nekokurage, known by the real name Erika Ikeda, creator of the manga adaptation of The Apothecary Diaries light novels, faced indictment from The Fukuoka Regional Taxation Bureau on February 29. The allegations revolved around suspicions of failing to declare approximately 260 million yen (about US$1.7 million) in income and evading about 47 million yen (about US$310,000) in taxes spanning from 2019 to 2021. The National Tax Bureau claimed that the evaded taxes, sourced from manga sales, were utilized in real estate acquisitions.
Responding to the accusations via Twitter, Nekokurage cited ignorance as the reason behind their failure to file tax returns promptly. They mentioned rectifying the situation by paying the taxes and fees in 2022 upon receiving guidance from the tax office. Seeking assistance from a tax accountant, Nekokurage emphasized that this issue was personal and unrelated to The Apothecary Diaries’ original light novel author or other manga contributors.
The manga debuted in Square Enix’s Monthly Big Gangan magazine in May 2017, with Square Enix releasing its 13th compiled volume on March 25. The English version is published by Square Enix Manga.
The original story by Natsu Hyūga premiered on the “Shōsetsuka ni Narō” (Let’s Become Novelists) website in October 2011. Shufunotomo began publishing the novels in print format, featuring illustrations by Touko Shino, in August 2014. J-Novel Club handles the digital publication of the novel series.
The anime adaptation of the light novel series debuted on October 21 with an initial release of three episodes, spanning two cours (equivalent to two quarters of a year). Crunchyroll simulcasted the anime as it aired in Japan, and it also offers an English dubbed version. Excitingly, a second season is slated for release in 2025.
About The Apothecary Diaries
The Apothecary Diaries is a Japanese light novel series written by Natsu Hyuuga and illustrated by Touko Shino. Originally serialized as a web novel on the user-generated content site Shoetsu ni Narou, it was later acquired by Shōsetsuka ni Narō Books, an imprint of Kadokawa. The light novel series debuted under the Kadokawa Books imprint in December 2017.
Set in the imperial court of the fictional medieval empire of Tianliang, the series follows the story of Maomao, a young woman who finds herself working as a lowly servant in the palace after being sold into slavery. Her keen intellect and skills in medicine draw the attention of Jinshi, a eunuch and head of the imperial medical office. Maomao soon becomes embroiled in the political intrigues and power struggles of the court as she navigates her way through the complex web of palace life.
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Source: ANN
