Kadokawa Will Not Censor Its Manga

A couple of days ago, I mentioned that Kadokawa plans to censor its manga in a larger post about the possible corruption of that industry.

Well today, I’m proud to say that regarding Kadokawa, such a fear can be put to rest.

According to On Takahashi, not only will Kadokawa keep its current editorial policy, the CEO even apologized for his censorship comments and took a pay cut.

Yeah I was right.

Kadokawa releases an official statement saying that the CEO's comments were "in a personal capacity" and don't reflect the stance of Kadokawa.

CEO also takes a temporary pay cut and "deeply regrets" his comments.https://t.co/1mmzm03kjM

— On Takahashi （高橋温） (@OnTakahashi) July 28, 2021

This is splendid news. Together with the JC Staff interview, it indicates that Japan’s anime and manga industry will not simply slide into woke ideology. In sharp contrast to US entertainment companies, they value their freedom of expression, and they listen to their customers instead of insulting them. This shows that they put entertainment above spite and profits over moral crusading.

This is not to say that these companies are paragons of virtue; from what I understand, there are very serious issues regarding animator pay and manga artists being overworked. However, in this world of so-called “entertainers” who hate us, this act sends a positive message to fans and creators alike. Big players set the tone for an industry, and Kadokawa’s actions here help reinforce a norm of free expression.

It’s excellent to have some good news for a change.

I will not compromise on my vision. Read “The Perils of Sasha Reed” today!