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Viz Media Cancels Publication of act-age Manga's Last Chapter

Viz Media announced on Monday that it will not publish the final chapter of storywriter Tatsuya Matsuki and artist Shiro Usazaki's act-age manga on its English Shonen Jump service. The company posted the official English translation of Shueisha's Japanese statement, which Shueisha also posted on its MANGA Plus service. Additionally, Viz Media removed its listing of further compiled book volumes of the manga, as well as a notice that it would add chapters 26-45 of the manga after they were translated.

The editors of Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine had announced on Monday that they canceled the publication of the manga itself. The chapter that appeared in this year's combined 36th and 37th issue, which shipped on Tuesday, is the final chapter. Shueisha's MANGA Plus service announced on Saturday that it would not publish the final chapter on its platform. Hori Pro canceled the upcoming stage play adaptation of the manga.

NHK reported on Saturday that Matsuki was arrested on suspicion of committing an indecent act with a female middle school student. According to police, the girl was walking in the Nakano ward of Tokyo on June 18 at 8:00 p.m. when the suspect approached the girl from behind while on a bicycle and touched her inappropriately. Afterward, the suspect fled the scene on the bicycle. The girl went to police, who analyzed security camera footage to investigate. Police discovered through security footage that about an hour later, a similar incident on a nearby road with a different female middle school student occurred, involving a suspect who resembled Matsuki.

Matsuki reportedly told police "there's generally nothing incorrect" with their accusations.

Matsuki and Usazaki launched the act-age manga in Weekly Shonen Jump in January 2018. The manga was nominated for Kodansha's 43rd annual Manga Awards last year.

Viz Media published the first three chapters in English simultaneously with the Japanese release, and then began regularly publishing the manga digitally in December 2018. Viz Media released the first volume on July 7. Shueisha's MANGA Plus website also published the manga in English digitally.

Thanks to LegitPancake for the news tip.

Source: Viz Media