Two months after the Rurouni Kenshin
manga series returned after a 20-year hiatus, creator Nobuhiro Watsuki was
charged with possession of child pornography and the series quickly went back on hiatus. It wasn't until this past February that Watsuki was formally charged and
slapped with a 200,000 yen ($1,864 USD) fine (It's important to note that child pornography is viewed very differently in Japan than it is in the U.S. and that it only became illegal until July 2015).
At the outset of Watsuki's arrest, he faced up to 1 year in prison and a fine of US$8,800 (1 million yen) so a fine of only 200,000 yen and no jail time is being viewed as a slap on the wrist. The 47-year old mangaka will likely face stiffer penalties if he becomes a repeat offender.
With no real jail time and court proceedings wrapped up, it seems Shueisha's Jump SQ. magazine feels comfortable enough to resume printing the new Rurouni Kenshin manga arc as it has been announced that it will resume circulation in the magazine in June. The announcement from SQ stated that Watsuki is currently living a life of reflection and atonement. Whether his charges affect the manga's ranking in the magazine or sales of the collected volumes will be something to keep a close eye on.
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