On May 17, 2023, Yusuke Murata took to Twitter to share about his ill health.
“Thank you for waiting. This week’s One-Punch Man chapter will be delayed. Sorry for the late notice! I was sick since the start of last month, but thanks to your support, I have recovered a lot. I will draw the manuscript again, so please wait for a bit longer,” the artist shared with fans.
先月頭から体調を崩していたのですが、お陰様でだいぶ回復しました。またバリバリ原稿描きますので今しばらくお待ちください。
— 村田雄介 (@NEBU_KURO) May 17, 2023
It turns out the artist has been sick since the start of April, and his condition has forced him to delay the next chapter of One-Punch Man to June. Fans were quick to wish him a speedy recovery because Murata just kickstarted a new arc in the manga where One-Punch Man is finally ready to deal with Neo Heroes as two characters just made their manga debut.
Fans weren’t worried because the One-Punch Man creator has taken breaks before but was always known to stay true to his words and deliver new episodes to them on time, hence amassing a loyal and adoring fan following.
One Punch Man Creator to Take a Break Amidst Declining Health
However, on May 22, 2023, in a live conversation with fellow manga creator Hiro Mashima on Twitter Spaces, the artist talked about the life and work of a manga artist.
As an answer to a question posed by a fan about his work schedule, Murata shared how difficult it has become to perform his obligations as the artist of the One-Punch Man manga.
“It is getting unarguably harder every month to manage my time for the family, work, and myself. As I have started working on a new anime series, my health has been in decline, and I have been thinking about going on a long break for a long time, and I might go on a vacation soon enough,” he shared.
Since he is also working on the new anime Zaiyuki, his workload had doubled which is taking a toll on his mental and physical health, forcing the One Punch Man creator to take a break.
Why Do So Many Manga Artists Face Health Problems?
The success, fame, and seeing your own creation take life and inspire people are gifting, however, the conditions of working as a publishing manga artist can be oftentimes nearly abusive and have terrible effects on the writers.
- Long working hours, unrealistic deadlines, and overworking is a common sight in the industry. Mangakas cannot help writing without feeling it is a duty and that drives their stress further until he cannot write anymore.
- It gives them a severe burnout issue and with such a heavy weight on their shoulders, it is amazing how manga writers are able to still put on a smile for their fans every day and write such quality and great material that they post every week.
Regardless of the results, things are taking a turn for the better. Manga writers are humans too, and companies have begun taking corrective measures in order to begin treating them more like one. Many manga artists have now switched to slightly longer manga issues, but have made their releases monthly.
This alleviates a lot of stress and allows them to take their time to ensure quality ideas and content while keeping their lives together. There is still much to do but we’re witnessing a positive shift in the industry’s attitude.
When Will He Return?
Considering everything, it is likely that Yusuke Murata’s break will at least be about three months. The main thing fans are worried about is Murata’s health. He is one of the most popular authors in the manga and anime industry and his fans love him, so it’s understandable if they will all prefer the One-Punch Man to take a break to preserve the health of the artist.
Till then, if you haven’t already yet, you can catch up on the latest chapters of One-Punch Man here.