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Court Hands Suspended Sentence to Please Tell Me! Galko-chan Creator Kenya Suzuki
posted on by Alex Mateo
The Okazaki branch of the Nagoya District Court sentenced manga creator Kenya Suzuki (Please Tell Me! Galko-chan) to one year and two months in prison, but the sentence is suspended for three years, taking into account social sanctions. (If Suzuki remains in good behavior for three years, he will not serve time in prison.) Police had charged Suzuki with violation of Japan's Customs Act and possession of child pornography in December. The judge stated that Suzuki's crime exploits children and impairs the soundess of society.
Suzuki does not plan to file an appeal. He admitted that he had purchased child pornography books for his own personal interest, and he apologized for his actions. He also expressed that he is ashamed and knows he has to rehabilitate himself within society during the suspended sentence period.
The Aichi Prefectural Police arrested the 40-year-old manga creator in December on suspicion of possessing child pornography imported from Germany in violation of Japan's Customs Act. Kyodo reported that the resident of Funabashi City, Chiba allegedly had six photo collections that he received by international mail on two separate occasions in September and October 2020.
Kadokawa's ComicWalker service suspended the serialization of the Please Tell Me! Galko-chan (Oshiete! Galko-chan) manga and its associated pages in December on the same day after "multiple news reports about creator Kenya Suzuki."
According to the authorities, Suzuki stated upon his arrest that he "desperately wanted to acquire nude photos of foreign children that cannot be acquired in Japan." The report added that police have confiscated 46 books and publications allegedly containing child pornography from Suzuki's residence.
Manga creator Battan reported on Twitter earlier in December that Suzuki was reported missing for a week to police, but Battan later posted an update where they revealed that Suzuki had been located.
Suzuki launched the Please Tell Me! Galko-chan manga on Kadokawa's ComicWalker digital manga service in June 2014, but published it on Twitter before that. Seven Seas Entertainment is releasing the manga in North America. ANN previously contacted Seven Seas regarding Suzuki's arrest, but there was no response.
The manga inspired a television anime that premiered in January 2015. Crunchyroll streamed the anime.
Sources: Nikkan Sports, Kenya Suzuki's Twitter account via Hachima Kikо̄
this article has been modified since it was originally posted; see change history