A fire occurred near the former headquarters of manga publisher Akita Shoten, located in Iidabashi, Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on March 27. Multiple media outlets have reported on the incident.

Just one day earlier, Akita Shoten’s building renovation had gone viral for its creative concept: “The company headquarters collapsed after a father-son brawl between Baki and Yujiro.”

The building is currently undergoing reconstruction. Since March 24, the construction site has featured an eye-catching temporary enclosure inspired by a legendary scene from the Baki manga series, in which the protagonist Baki Hanma challenges his father, Yujiro Hanma, in a battle dubbed "the strongest parent-child fight in history." The creative display had drawn significant public attention.

Originally completed in 1973, Akita Shoten's headquarters stood near the Imperial Palace for over 50 years and served as the birthplace of many iconic manga titles. Due to aging infrastructure, a decision was made to rebuild the structure. As of January 6 this year, the company has temporarily relocated to an office in Tokyo’s Bunkyo Ward. The new headquarters is scheduled for completion in September 2027.

News of the fire quickly spread online, with concerned voices emerging on social media:
“I hope everyone’s okay…”
“This isn’t something to laugh about anymore…”
“A fire in Iidabashi… I hope no one was left behind.”
“This is no joke now.”
“I thought it was about Baki’s father-son fight, but turns out it’s a real building fire—shocking.”

Source : ORICON NEWS