Masami Kurumada, the veteran Japanese manga artist best known as the creator of the internationally acclaimed 'Saint Seiya' franchise, has launched major legal action against his former manager and several associates. The legal filing seeks 2.8 billion yen in damages following allegations that the group engaged in a systematic scheme to siphon funds from his business accounts.
According to the claims outlined in the lawsuit, the ex-manager and co-defendants embezzled an estimated total of 4.6 billion yen over an extended period. The funds in question are tied directly to Kurumada's extensive creative catalog, which encompasses decades of manga publishing royalties, licensing deals, and international media rights.
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The lawsuit highlights a severe breach of trust at the highest level of Kurumada's personal management structure. Legal filings indicate that the defendants allegedly leveraged their administrative authority to divert substantial royalty streams and corporate revenues into unauthorized accounts without the artist's knowledge or consent.
Kurumada's creation of 'Saint Seiya' in the 1980s solidified his position as one of Japan's most successful manga authors, with the property expanding into a multi-million-dollar global media franchise featuring animated series, feature films, and extensive merchandise. The civil suit seeking 2.8 billion yen represents one of the largest financial compensation claims brought by an individual manga creator against former business stewards in Japanese entertainment history.
