[This Week in Japan] Manga Creator Hisashi Eguchi Faces Backlash Over Tracing Scandal

This week, Japan was abuzz over a controversy involving manga artist and illustrator Hisashi Eguchi (JP: 江口寿史), known for works such as Stop!! Hibari-kun! (ストップ!! ひばりくん!). The issue centers on Eguchi’s alleged tracing of photos commonly referred to in Japan as “torepaku,” a slang term for tracing and plagiarizing someone else’s work.

Eguchi’s illustrations are celebrated for depicting scenes that feel as if they were captured from everyday city life. His charming, life-sized portrayals of girls (drawn without the exaggerated features typical of manga or anime) have earned him wide popularity. His works are known for their distinctive, snapshot-like visual style that resembles turning candid photographs into illustrations.

It came to light that Eguchi had traced a photograph posted on Instagram without permission and turned it into an illustration. The illustration in question was created for the Chuo Line Culture Festival 2025 poster.

The matter was uncovered when model Kyu Kanai, whose photo had been used as a reference, noticed that her Instagram picture had been directly copied and contacted Eguchi. He later admitted on X (formerly Twitter) that he had “drawn the piece based on a beautiful profile I saw on Instagram” and reposted the work after obtaining her permission, though the initial usage had been unauthorized.

This statement only fueled public outrage. Many social media users questioned, “Why was the image used commercially before getting permission?” The poster was quickly withdrawn, and scrutiny extended to Eguchi’s previous works, with new accusations of tracing emerging.

Companies such as eyewear brand Zoff and family restaurant chain Denny’s, both of which had commissioned Eguchi for past advertising illustrations, announced that they were investigating and suspending the use of his artworks. As a result, online “special investigation groups” have been combing through his past portfolio to determine “how much of Eguchi’s work is truly original.”

This statement only fueled public outrage. Many social media users questioned, “Why was the image used commercially before getting permission?” The poster was quickly withdrawn, and scrutiny extended to Eguchi’s previous works, with new accusations of tracing emerging.

Companies such as eyewear brand Zoff and family restaurant chain Denny’s, both of which had commissioned Eguchi for past advertising illustrations, announced that they were investigating and suspending the use of his artworks. As a result, online “special investigation groups” have been combing through his past portfolio to determine “how much of Eguchi’s work is truly original.”

Why Did the Controversy Escalate So Dramatically?

Cases of manga artists being accused of tracing are not new in Japan. On the country’s early internet forum “2channel,” there was once a heated discussion about Slam Dunk creator Takehiko Inoue, who was said to have used basketball magazine photos as references for scenes in his manga. However, upon closer examination, most of these instances were more about referencing composition rather than outright tracing.

In Eguchi’s case, several factors amplified the controversy, including the influence of social media and Japan’s growing awareness of copyright and portrait rights:

・The source material belonged to a private individual.
・The traced image was used commercially as an advertisement illustration labeled as “his own work.”
・The entire sequence of events unfolded publicly and transparently.
・Eguchi’s own remarks aggravated the situation.
・Other users began pointing out similar issues.
・People started digging up past works for comparison.
・The scandal spread to the companies that had commissioned his illustrations.

Adding to the backlash, Eguchi’s past comment that “copying someone else’s photo directly shows a lack of imagination” resurfaced, drawing accusations of hypocrisy. With no official apology issued and only the deletion of his social media posts, the outrage has continued to simmer online.