The mangaka of Hidarikiki no Eren invested all his money in the anime

In the anime industry, the golden rule for an original creator is simple: you collect your royalties, let the studios work their magic, and pray they don't ruin your work. However, Kappy, the author of Hidarikiki no Eren, has just thrown the entire corporate survival manual out the window. This bold mangaka took the unusual decision to put his own money directly into the series' production committee. The problem? If the project fails, he goes straight into bankruptcy.

Risking it all for the love of art

Through a YouTube video, the author explained this complete financial madness. Normally, large companies split the high costs to avoid absorbing all the risk if a project goes wrong. But he wanted to ensure that the anime adaptation had the highest possible quality and to have a real voice and vote over the final outcome of his franchise. Although he knows perfectly well that his economic contribution is small compared to the corporate giants, he is willing to go on tours, sign autographs, and sweat blood during promotion to save his investment. He is literally betting his life savings out of pure passion for his work.

The weight of a story that finally hits the screen

For those unfamiliar with this gem, it all started as a humble webcomic back in 2016 before making the massive leap to print format and publishing 24 volumes. The plot puts us in the shoes of Koichi Asakura, an advertising designer trapped in a routine who feels undervalued by everyone, and his deep, intertwined bond with Eren Yamagishi, a prodigious left-handed graffiti artist shining in New York. With the premiere scheduled for this upcoming April 8th, fans are more than excited, but also quite nervous about the creator's wallet.

What would you do? Would you risk your entire financial net worth so that the anime of your story is perfect, or would you prefer to take the safe route and just collect your check?