Mia Ikumi has passed away. The veteran artists who worked on beloved mangas like Tokyo Mew Mew and Only One Wish died at the age of 42.
Mia Ikumi's passing was confirmed in an obituary shared by Kodansha. In the statement, the publishing company also expresses its gratitude for the illustrator's works. Moreover, it is confirmed that Ikumi's editorial staff are still in mourning over her unexpected passing.
According to the obituary, Mia Ikumi passed away on March 7, 2022, due to a subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Mia Ikumi started out at the age of 18, writing her first manga story The Sleeping Princess of Berry Forest. In 1999, she made her debut in Kodansha's Nakayoshi with the manga Super Doll Licca-chan. The following year, she collaborated with writer Reiko Yoshida on Tokyo Mew Mew, which would become her most celebrated work. Although she worked on mangas like Repure and Koi Cupid in other publications, she would later return to Nakayoshi to illustrate Tokyo Mew Mew Re-Turn.
In the obituary, it is confirmed that Mia Ikumi kept working right before her unfortunate passing, illustrating for the re-release of Tokyo Mew Mew later this year. According to Kodansha, Ikumi already drew the new cover art for all 10 volumes. Additionally, the announcement confirmed that Ikumi was overseeing the anime production as well as the work on the new manga edition for the past two years. The company assured fans that production on the anime will continue and that it will carry with it Ikumi's wishes.
All volumes of the Tokyo Mew Mew manga will be re-released by Kodansha in May although the official release date has not yet been revealed. The new anime adaptation of the series, Tokyo Mew Mew New, is currently slated to premiere in July 2022.
Related: Kodansha Takes Legal Action Against Attack on Titan Illegal Uploads
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!