Jon asked:
I have been a long-time manga reader, and ever since the death of Berserk‘s creator Kentarou Miura I have been keeping a closer watch on mangaka that need to take breaks due to health issues and was shocked at how common these situations are. I was hoping you could shed some light on the working conditions for mangaka and how we keep hearing about even high-profile authors, such as My Hero Academia‘s Kōhei Horikoshi, having to take breaks due to poor health from overwork. It’s my impression that working excessively long hours to the detriment of one’s health is relatively common in Japanese society, but is there anything unique about the manga industry that is so detrimental to the author’s health and well-being? What could be changed to improve the situation for mangaka and the industry as a whole?
First of all, desk jobs—or any job that requires prolonged…
