“Despite the support and enjoyment of the anime by our readers, a business practice that does not benefit the manga artist has persisted. I felt obligated to remain silent until the issue was resolved, and I apologize to the readers who have supported me as a manga artist for this extended period.”

Due to non-payment of royalties, the author had even contemplated pulling the anime and its related songs from streaming platforms during the dispute.

However, earlier this year, Ai reached out to the Ganma! editorial department and Comic Smart to investigate the matter.

In August 2024, the company acknowledged their failure to uphold the royalty payments stipulated in the contract. The editorial department issued a formal apology to Ai and provided a detailed report of the situation.

By the end of August, they calculated the amount owed and transferred the full payment to her.