Source: Screen captured from website of "Tokyo Mew Mew" TV anime

Nakayoshi magazine issues heartfelt statement on untimely passing of Tokyo Mew Mew’s Mia ikumi

On March 14th, 2022, it was revealed that manga artist 征海美亜 Mia Ikumi, famous for Tokyo Mew Mew (co-created with Reika Yoshida), had passed away.

According to a statement published on the website of Kodansha's manga magazine Nakayoshi, which published Tokyo Mew Mew from September 2000 to February 2003, the cause was a sudden subarachnoid (brain) hemorrhage which claimed her life on March 7th, 2022. She was only 42 years old.

The manga was adapted into a hit anime in 2002, and a remake is scheduled to be released this summer.

The editorial department of Nakayoshi commented on Ikumi's passing in a statement issued on its website yesterday.

Mia Ikumi-Sensei made her debut at Kodansha and wrote Tokyo Mew Mew and Super Doll Licca-chan (original story by Takara) for Nakayoshi magazine. We are deeply saddened by her sudden and untimely passing.

Her masterpiece Tokyo Mew Mew is to be adapted into an anime titled Tokyo Mew Mew Mew New to be aired from this summer. In February, the publication of the 10-volume Tokyo Mew Mew: Newly Revised Edition was just announced to commemorate the anime adaptation.

She has already drawn the cover illustrations for all the volumes of the new edition. We have also received some, but not all, of the newly drawn original manga that are to be included in each volume.

Ikumi-Sensei had poured her heart into supervising the anime for the past two years and had been looking forward to presenting it to the world along with the manga's new edition. Bereaved as we are, we will treat her works with the utmost care, and will continue to produce them, enduring our grief, so that we can carry on her legacy.

The farewell ceremony has already been held by her next of kin.

Ikumi-Sensei's works have been read all over the world. We would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest gratitude to the many readers who have loved her works throughout the years.

Nakayoshi Editorial Department, Kodansha

Tokyo Mew Mew Mew remains highly popular even in 2022.

Also, as mentioned earlier, plans are underway to remake the anime, so the news of Ikumi's passing came as a shock to many people.

On social media, there was an outpouring of feelings from fans all over the world, expressed through comments such as, "It's really too sudden for me to accept," and "I've always loved Ikumi-Sensei's works.

Ikumi-Sensei's works will surely continue to bring smiles to many people's faces. May she rest in peace.

By - grape Japan editorial staff.