Okay, so this manga artist was really having a tough time making ends meet, and they shared their story online. It totally blew up! Fans from everywhere started pitching in, and it’s seriously changed things for the better. It’s awesome to see the community rally around someone like that.
On April 18th, manga creator Shiten Akiyama publicly shared on X (formerly Twitter) that sales of their series, Horizon, were doing very poorly and had reached a critical low point.
Akiyama said they were struggling financially, even having trouble affording basic things like inexpensive coffee. They created a support page hoping to receive some financial assistance.
The post rapidly spread online within anime and manga fan groups internationally, as people wanted to support the author in need. Since then, Akiyama shared that he’s received over ¥900,000 – about $5,000 – and was incredibly surprised by the overwhelming support.
Struggling manga author blown away by overseas support
Akiyama posted on X, noting that despite disagreements and differences, people all over the world share a common love for manga. He emphasized this wasn’t a result of marketing, but genuine enthusiasm from fans themselves, before adding a casual thought about getting coffee.
Even after hitting their initial goal, donations kept increasing, exceeding 130% of the target, according to Akiyama. He noted that the total amount raised was actually higher than the revenue they made from publishing the first volume of their manga.
Akiyama once attempted to share his manga with a global audience by translating and posting it online for free. However, this caused problems with his publisher, and he ultimately had to remove it.
We’ve been amazed by over ¥900,000 in donations from fans around the world. It really shows how much people love manga, no matter where they’re from or what disagreements they might have. This support isn’t coming from companies, but directly from individuals expressing their passion and appreciation.
— 秋山視点｜Shiten Akiyama (@shiten_room) April 19, 2026
Even with the challenges he’s faced, Akiyama has gained a dedicated international following who love his manga, Horizon, and his commitment to it. Inspired by this incredible support, he’s determined to make Horizon the best it can be, a true masterpiece for his fans.
“I’m honestly overwhelmed with all the support,” Akiyama said. “I’m going to focus on creating the best manga I can, and I’ll do my absolute best to earn everyone’s appreciation. I really want to be able to show my gratitude.”
You can currently buy Horizon on Amazon Japan and Kinokuniya USA. The author, Akiyama, intends to release an English translation at a later date.
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2026-04-20 14:49