Shujin Riku (Prisoner Riku) manga creator Shinobu Seguchi divided fans this week after requesting that someone delete their fan coloring because it was "unpleasant." The fan used a page from Seguchi's manga, employing a color scheme that was "not appropriate," which failed to satisfy the author.

X (formerly Twitter) user Atsu posted a coloring of Prisoner Riku character Renoma Sasaki, tagging the creator in the post. Seguchi later replied, "This is a line drawing I did, so please delete it. There is a possibility that people who see this picture will mistakenly think that I colored it. This coloring has no ingenuity or sense, and the image is completely different. It is completely different from fan art that was created by someone who saw my picture, drew a new line drawing, and colored it." The post and Seguchi's reply can be seen below.

Professional Manga Artist Stirs Debate Over Fanart and Creator-Fan Respect

Seguchi's response divided fans, some of whom agreed that any fanart should respect the author's wishes -- especially if the author is tagged in the post. Supporters also argued that copyright is perceived differently in Japan than in some other parts of the world. Conversely, others argue that once something is in the public domain, creators should have less say in how people are inspired by their art.

That sentiment grew as many understood that Seguchi didn't object to Atsu specifically using his line art, but rather what he saw as a poor effort. When Atsu said, "Many people have colored your picture, so it makes sense that I colored it. I signed it because I'm running a coloring [X] account, so I tagged you in the post," Seguchi replied: "It's extremely unpleasant."

The interaction between Seguchi and Atsu (who has updated his X bio to state that he will never delete the image), has prompted a broader discussion on cases where fandom and respecting authors' wishes may differ. Many cited Vinland Saga author Makoto Yukimura, who is well known for encouraging artwork of all levels. Manga creator Rei Hiroe routinely shares Black Lagoon cosplay and fanart, while making it clear that direct reproductions taken from his manga are prohibited. While Atsu and Seguchi couldn't agree, fans of the latter at least learned that he's currently working on a new manga, describing it as "really interesting."

Source: X (formerly Twitter)