Manga 'Shirokuma Cafe' Gets Suspended Due to Dispute over Its TV Anime

by dtshyk
May 29, 2012 6:17 PM | 43 Comments

Mangaka Higa Aloha has announced in her official Twitter account that the serialization of "Shirokuma Café" on Monthly Flowers magazine has gone into hiatus for an indefinite period. She disclosed that she has been left out of the TV anime project of "Shirokuma Cafe" and she hasn't received any written contracts regarding the anime. After she notified the editors of the magazine that she would suspend the serialization of the manga, they apologized to her and promised to let her supervise the character designs and the scripts of the anime.

Update
According to the updates on her Twitter, she finally had a meeting with the anime producers and found the anime staff have not done anything wrong. The main reason for the trouble was that the editors of Flowers magazine had been giving approvals to the character designs and the scripts of the anime without the author's permission. She said she thanked the anime staff for making such a high-quality anime but the serialization of the manga will be suspended for the time being.

Source: Higa's Twitter account

Mangaka Hiatus

20 of 43 Comments Recent Comments

well... anything that involves Avex is gona be dark...

Dec 23, 2012 3:49 AM by xxbluebirdxx

Wasn't there a recent law that was fast-tracked by the Japanese Diet/Congress that gave equal copyrights for manga works to the producers and editors? Also, a lot of Manga ended abruptly cause of Authors being outraged and wanted to protect their copyright properties before the law took effect?

A while back, I was reading vague posts about it and wasn't sure if it's true.

Oct 3, 2012 10:35 AM by Cirris

Post-Josh said:

ataraxial said:

Post-Josh said:
She was eating cereal and watching some torrented anime when: "Wait... what the fuck?!"

Actually, she was first like, "Well, that's a pretty neat idea."
Then a few hours later: "Wait, what the fuck?"

Hahaha, perfect. Well we have come to the conclusion that she's slow.

"Hey, I should use that scenario in the next chapter of Shirokuma Cafe!"
Several hours later..
"NOW HOLD UP"

All these comments...
I can't! You guys... xD

CrimsonLight said:
Does she have no TV?
How did the show air for 8 weeks without her noticing anything?

Mangakas are so busy,
they don't have time to watch TV,
they eat, sleep and make manga.

But seriously they make anime without author acceptance?
Seriously WTF?
What were they thinking?
That she do not find out about this?

OMG! THIS WHOLE SITUATION IS HILARIOUS!

Misaola said:
two words...Studio Pierrot ><"""

OMG! Now when you write this... -.-
*facepalm*
Pierrot, now this isn't suprise for me...

Aug 23, 2012 3:01 PM by LittleStar

So at what point will the anime be suspended? It's already at 20 eps. Any idea how many eps are planned or will it be ongoing? I don't see that anywhere online. I freaking love this show.

Aug 17, 2012 8:14 PM by AnimeObasan

two words...Studio Pierrot ><"""

Jun 2, 2012 12:32 AM by Misaola

I'm guessing as someone else already mentioned, she had probably already signed away her rights to her own work in her initial publication contract. I have no idea how Japanese courts work, but there could still be some room in the states for her to sue on the grounds of intellectual property rights. Did the editors properly explain to her before hand that she was signing away all rights to an anime adaption and any royalties that it might otherwise have entailed? Even if they did, if they can't prove it, she could still sue them in a civil suit, once again if Japanese courts work the same way.

Here's another thought. Since she's stopped working on the Manga, she could once again be in violation of her contract and be subject to having her contract and manga terminated.

May 31, 2012 8:03 AM by Orion1

MM-Rosiie said:
And... is it legal to make an anime without the mangaka's permission? Couldn't they sue or something? Unless the manga is counted as the magazine's property. Hm.

It all depends on who owns the rights to the work.

May 30, 2012 6:01 PM by ataraxial

"The main reason for the trouble was that the editors of Flowers magazine had been giving approvals to the character designs and the scripts of the anime without the author's permission."

So it isn't necessarily the anime creators' faults. They thought that the approvals they were given from the editor was the opinion of the author as well. Or I'm completely off.

Post-Josh said:

"Hey, I should use that scenario in the next chapter of Shirokuma Cafe!"
Several hours later..
"NOW HOLD UP"

Okay, I admit, that cracked me up. :D
But manga artists sometimes are really busy and don't do much else but draw. :P

And... is it legal to make an anime without the mangaka's permission? Couldn't they sue or something? Unless the manga is counted as the magazine's property. Hm.

May 30, 2012 2:41 PM by Mirorin

Looks like the hiatus is gonna be for a long time.

May 30, 2012 2:32 PM by CapnDavid

I think this is the problem from her editors, they just approved everything about the anime without consulting her. Just how Bakuman depicted it, editors do have high control over the mangaka and their manga, thinking that's the best for the mangaka (when it's not actually).

May 30, 2012 11:37 AM by neurogal91

Squatta said:
Wow what the heck how rude to leave her out of the production! Is that even legal?

Depends on what any legal documents between her and her publisher say. People sign contracts all the time without reading them. the legalese might say that they have the rights to do an anime with or without her permission. This is done a lot, but they usually ask the creator anyways out of common courtesy.

Mahadev_Shiki said:

dtshyk said:
News Update
According to the updates on her Twitter, she finally had a meeting with the anime producers and found the anime staff haven't done anything wrong. The main reason for the trouble was that the editors of Flowers magazine had been giving approvals to the character designs and the scripts of the anime without the author's permission. She said she thanked the anime staff for making such a high-quality anime but the serialization of the manga will be suspended for the time being.

Something really fishy here , 1st she says they ignored her and now she thanks them.

I smell a settlement.

May 30, 2012 10:19 AM by MadDogV2

What assholes on the publishers' part.

May 30, 2012 8:57 AM by icantfeelmyarms

Now my question is, how does this have anything to do with her manga being suspended?

May 30, 2012 7:27 AM by Siva

General question: Do all the rights of a manga lie with the publisher? If artist A refuses to have his/her work adapted into an anime, the magazine can decide to allow an anime adaption anyway?

May 30, 2012 5:12 AM by Nickienator

I don't even know what to say. I only know that i dropped the anime after 1 episode.

PS: At least she's getting a "vacation" now

May 30, 2012 3:11 AM by Gatchum_Bye-Bye

SarahBillyBoy said:
Is that even possible? Create an anime without the original creator's supervision?

That is just disrespectful

Hmmm... yes, indeed. :/

But it IS a little late...

May 30, 2012 2:30 AM by Haruka-samaa

Something really fishy here , 1st she says they ignored her and now she thanks them.

May 30, 2012 1:26 AM by Ryougi_Shiki_

phoenixalia said:
tsk tsk...shame on you magazine editors! I'm surprised that she was this patient!

Maybe she like Panda .LOL

May 30, 2012 1:15 AM by Melisandre

tsk tsk...shame on you magazine editors! I'm surprised that she was this patient!