Akane Shimizu, the creator of Cells at Work! (Hataraku Saibou), has shared another personal statement regarding the abuse and legal issues she previously revealed, saying she has been discouraged from taking her case to court because of concerns that it could affect her manga.
In a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter), Shimizu explained that she decided to speak publicly because, for the past six months, she has continued to face what she described as threats of legal action from the other party, with suggestions that her work could be impacted.
“The reason I’ve been making these posts recently is because, for about the past six months, I’ve continued to face situations where the other party has hinted at legal action in a way that implies it could affect my work.”
Her latest statement follows an earlier post in which she revealed that, during the serialization of Cells at Work!, she was diagnosed with depression, trichotillomania, and later post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Shimizu also said she experienced financial victimization and sexual victimization by relatives, as well as what she described as secondary victimization from family members. She added that the situation eventually caused her to lose contact with her younger sister, who had inspired the creation of Cells at Work!.
Regarding the ongoing legal matter, Shimizu claimed that the other party filed for mediation despite her wishes.
According to her statement, the mediation also included a request that she be prohibited from contacting the other party. She said this effectively shifted the burden onto her as the victim.
“Even in a situation like this, I am told that ‘considering the impact on the work, it would be better not to take it to court.’ As things stand now, I feel I have no choice but to suffer in silence.”
Shimizu further stated that the people involved in the dispute appear to share similar views regarding the potential impact on her work and legal procedures. Because of that, she believes similar situations may continue in the future.
She said she intends to continue sharing her experiences gradually to prevent misunderstandings and to document the situation.
“To avoid misunderstandings or unforeseen circumstances, I will continue to share what has happened little by little. I may cause concern, but I hope to continue explaining things over time.”
As of the time of writing, there has been no public response from the other party regarding Shimizu’s latest statements, and the allegations have not been independently verified through court proceedings or official findings.
About Cells at Work!
Cells at Work! (Hataraku Saibou) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akane Shimizu. It was serialized in Kodansha’s Monthly Shonen Sirius magazine from 2015 to 2021.
The manga personifies the cells of the human body, depicting red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and many others as characters working together to protect the body from diseases and infections. The series became widely popular for blending educational medical concepts with entertaining storytelling.
The franchise has since expanded into multiple spin-off manga, anime television series, stage plays, novels, and a live-action film released in 2024. It has also collaborated with Japan’s Ministry of Health and various public awareness campaigns to promote health education.
Source: X
