Masami Kurumada, the influential creator behind the iconic Saint Seiya franchise, has initiated legal action against a former manager and board director. During a press conference in Tokyo, Kurumada’s legal team announced they are seeking 2.8 billion yen (approximately US$18 million) in damages, citing the unauthorized misappropriation of funds from three of his companies, including Kurumada Productions.
The lawsuit alleges that the former manager, who had a professional relationship with the creator spanning over 15 years, diverted company funds and redirected license fee payments into external accounts between 2018 and 2024. While 1.8 billion yen of the total 4.6 billion yen in missing funds has reportedly been recovered, the litigation aims to recoup the remaining balance. This development provides context for the abrupt cancellation of Kurumada’s planned manga art exhibition, which was originally scheduled for June 2024 before being scrapped earlier that spring.
Kurumada’s work remains a cornerstone of the industry, with the original Saint Seiya manga boasting 35 million copies in print and spawning decades of anime adaptations, spin-offs, and a 2023 live-action film. Most recently, the creator concluded the long-running Saint Seiya: Next Dimension - The Myth of Hades in July 2024 and launched a new series, Saint Seiya Tenkai-hen, in May.
Given the scale of the alleged financial mismanagement, it remains unclear how this litigation might impact the future management of the franchise's extensive licensing portfolio. Readers familiar with the series' history may wonder if this legal dispute will affect the production or distribution of future projects in the Saint Seiya universe.
