Square Enix has announced that it does not plan to cancel the manga "The Apothecary Diaries" despite its author, "Nekokurage," being convicted of tax evasion.

Square Enix has announced that it does not plan to cancel the manga "The Apothecary Diaries" despite its author, Nekokurage, being convicted of tax evasion. To recap, on Wednesday, July 24, the Fukuoka District Court sentenced Nekokurage, whose real name is Erika Ikeda, to 10 months in prison suspended for three years and a fine of 11 million yen for failing to declare approximately 260 million yen in income between 2019 and 2021.

Nekokurage pleaded guilty, stating that she had not intended to commit fraud but planned to pay the taxes later. She has since paid the amounts owed and hired an accountant to assist her. The conviction will not affect the original series or its collaborators. Launched in Square Enix's Monthly Big Gangan magazine in 2017, the manga is currently up to its 13th volume.

Natsu Hyūga's original novel The Apothecary Diaries, published on Shōsetsuka ni Narō in 2011, also inspired an anime that aired in 2023. The anime series, distributed by Crunchyroll, will have a second season in 2025.