Nekokurage, the artist behind The Apothecary Diaries manga, was charged with violating the Japanese Income Tax Act on February 29, 2024. The Fukuoka Regional Taxation Bureau announced on April 1 that Nekourage allegedly failed to declare around 260 million yen (~$1.7m) in income, with 47 million yen ($310k) subject to taxation. The undeclared income was gained between 2019 to 2021. NHK adds that according to a source close to the investigation, Nekokurage was aware of her duty to file a tax return but had said, “I was so busy with the series that I didn’t have time to talk to a tax ant.” 2l5h
Nekokurage apologized following the announcement. She says she previously neglected to file her final tax return due to ignorance. She adds that once she was made aware by the tax office, she immediately paid the full amount, extra tax, and non-declaration tax. She’s now working with an ant to pay taxes properly, adding, “I will accept all the consequences of my ignorance and lack of education.” She also outlined regret at inconveniencing those who ed her and those who have been paying their taxes properly, and said, “Nothing like this will ever happen again.”
Naturally, the charges bring unwanted attention to The Apothecary Diaries, which after a very popular first season of the anime, immediately announced Season 2 with a new visual and 2025 release date. Nekokurage reminded all parties that this had nothing to do with the original light novel series, written by Natsu Hyuga and illustrated by Touko Shino, or Minoji Kurata, who illustrates the other The Apothecary Diaries manga adaptation (Kusuriya no Hitorigoto: Mao Mao no Kōkyu Nazotoki Techo) in Shogakukan’s Monthly Sunday Gene-X.
Nekokurage began working on the series when The Apothecary Diaries got its first manga adaptation in 2017 in Square Enix’s Monthly Big Gangan. The manga series has been serialized since May 2017 and has been collected into 13 volumes as of March 25, 2024. The third Blu-ray disc for the anime adaptation by Toho Animation Studio and OLM was released this week.
Square Enix also licenses the manga for North America, describing it:
Maomao, a young woman trained in the art of herbal medicine, is forced to work as a lowly servant in the inner palace. Though she yearns for life outside its perfumed halls, she isn’t long for a life of drudgery! Using her wits to break a “curse” afflicting the imperial heirs, Maomao attracts the attentions of the handsome eunuch Jinshi and is promoted to attendant food taster. But Jinshi has other plans for the erstwhile apothecary, and soon Maomao is back to brewing potions and…solving mysteries?!
Last week, Nekokurage also revealed that she was diagnosed with a brain aneurysm, reassuring fans of no immediate danger.
Source: Kyodo News, NHK, Nekokurage’s X (formerly Twitter)
© Natsu Hyuga, Imagica Infos/”The Apothecary Diaries” Project