The tragic case of Hinako Ashihara and “Sexy Tanaka-san”: An earthquake in the author-studio relationship

The entertainment industry in Japan is in a state of shock following recent events involving Hinako Ashihara, author of the manga Sexy Tanaka-san. What began as a public complaint by the mangaka about the drastic alterations to her work in Nippon TV’s live-action adaptation has escalated into a crisis that calls into question the intellectual property rights of creators vis-à-vis major television networks.

Ashihara-sensei recently published an extensive statement explaining the conditions she imposed for the adaptation: the story had to faithfully follow the manga, and any changes had to be consulted directly with her. According to the author, these promises were systematically ignored by the production, forcing her to write the scripts for the last two episodes herself in an attempt to save the essence of her work. “I had to become the villain to protect my work,” the author paraphrased on her social media before deleting them due to media pressure.
The conflict has led to conflicting statements from mangaka associations and screenwriters’ unions. While the television network defends its creative process, the artistic community denounces that the original authors are treated as “suppliers of source material” with no say once they sign the contract. This case has resonated with previous incidents in anime, where the visions of the studios clash with the original vision of the publishers, but the scale of this controversy is unprecedented in recent times.

In recent hours, the news has escalated due to the massive harassment the author received after her statements, prompting publishers such as Shogakukan to intervene to mediate the situation. The discussion now centers on whether copyright laws are sufficient to protect the moral integrity of a work in a market that prioritizes the immediate profitability of adaptations over narrative coherence.
Technical details:

• Publisher: Shogakukan (Serialized in Sister Zohan magazine).
• Publication start date: 2017.
• Synopsis: Tanaka is a 40-year-old accountant, introverted and discreet, who hides a secret identity: she is a seductive belly dancer. The story explores female liberation and self-acceptance.
  This is a turning point for the adaptation system in Japan. For years, fans have celebrated or suffered changes to their favorite stories, but we rarely see the human cost behind the scenes. Ashihara’s courage in exposing the cracks in Nippon TV could be the catalyst for stricter rights transfer contracts in favor of the creator. This is not just about “faithfulness to the manga,” but about basic respect for the architect of a world that millions love.
  Will this be the beginning of an era where the author has the final say on the script, or will we see contractual retaliation that further limits the freedom of mangaka?