It is no secret that many of the most popular manga creators hide their personal identities for a plethora of reasons, and Fullmetal Alchemist creator Hiromu Arakawa's reason is concerning and disturbing. While Arakawa's experience might seem like a one-off case for fans, such incidents have happened before and reveal the difficulties manga creators have to endure in exchange for the popularity of their stories.

In a new interview published by Kyoko NP, Hiromu Arakawa recounted an incident that forced her to leave the internet once and for all. She talked about how the address of her studio was included in a doujinshi, a self-published work, which ended up on a forum. Some fans who saw the address ended up coming to the studio, leaving her understandably frightened. As a result of this, in addition to wanting more time with her children, Arakawa says she largely just doesn't have time for the internet anymore.

It’s partly because I’m busy and even more so after having children. I’m already someone who works 365 days a year. So, if I have time to spend online, I’d rather dedicate it to my children. I’m the type to express myself through manga, so I probably vent by drawing.

In the past, my studio address was included on a doujinshi, and there was a website that added it to a report. Dangerous fans who saw the address then came directly to my place. Seeing that, I felt, 'This is bad, I'm scared!'

Arakawa's Reasons For Leaving Are Saddening

Many Other Creators Suffered Similar Incidents

Another reason Arakawa left social media was that she shut down her bulletin board around the same time Fullmetal Alchemist's popularity skyrocketed. Her was hacked, and since then, she has gone offline. While she is still interested in using the internet for research purposes and such, it seems like the days where she interacted with fans and other creators are over, and justifiably so given how dangerous the situation had gotten for her.

Bleach creator Tite Kubo also left social media back then due to unpleasant experiences with fans and has his own pay-walled website.

Many mangaka do not use social media, except a few like Yoshihiro Togashi, Yusuke Murata, Tatsuki Fujimoto and a few others. Even more do not use their real names, instead opting for pen names, such as Gege Akutami, Koyoharu Gotouge, ONE, Tsugumi Ohba, and many more. In fact, Arakawa initially went under the name Edmund Arakawa as well as Huang Jin Zhou, showing that she has always been very wary of revealing her identity to the public.

Hiromu Arakawa's Experience Hints At The Pressure And Danger Of Being A Big Name Manga Creator

The Public Can Add To A Feeling Of Anxiety And Unease

Whether it be to maintain an ordinary life, protect themselves because of the content they make or, as in Arakawa's case initially, to hide their gender, mangakas have always been very hesitant in their dealing with fans, as it can always get dangerous. Eichiro Oda's studio was once leaked, and Attack on Titan creator Hajime Isayama face intense harassment after his manga ended.

Some creators like Beastars creator Paru Itagaki and Jujutsu Kaisen creator Gege Akutami even go as far as wearing masks in public appearances. While Fullmetal Alchemist's creator might no longer be online, fans can rest easy knowing that she has said she's using her time with her family and expressing herself through manga.