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Mori no Asagao Creator Mamora Gōda Handed Suspended Sentence

The Tokyo District Court's Tachikawa Branch Court announced on Tuesday that manga creator Mamora Gōda (real name Mamoru Kaminogō) has received a suspended three-year sentence from his arrest. The judge cited Gōda's “selfish, criminal acts” for the reason behind the sentence, though he said that Gōda is “showing reflective behavior and has apologized to the victim.” If Gōda is not convicted of another crime in the next three years, he will not have to serve the three-year prison sentence. The prosecution had asked for a full three-year prison sentence without suspension.

According to Gōda's lawyer, he does not intend to appeal the court's decision. Gōda also intends to change his future pen name and start over by working part-time. It is unknown when he will resume his activities as a manga creator.

Gōda, the 50-year-old manga creator best known for crime-and-punishment stories such as Mori no Asagao, was arrested and indicted for indecent behavior towards a woman. According to a source in the investigation, Gōda threw a ball at the woman and committed a threatening obscene act around April 21 in his office in Kokubunji, Tokyo. On May 21, the suspect allegedly threw a ball at the same woman, knocking her down and leaving an injury that lasted two weeks. The nearby Koganei station arrested him that day. Futabasha also announced that his Ashura Michi -Enzai- manga is currently on hiatus in its Shonen Magazine, and it is unknown whether the manga will restart.

Gōda created the Kirakira Hikaru manga about a young female forensics examiner. Another of his series, Samayoi Zakura, centered around Japan's jury system. He also created the award-winning Mori no Asagao manga about the secret friendship between a rookie prison guard and a death row inmate. All three manga titles inspired live-action television series.

Source: Sports Hochi