Author of popular manga 'Crayon Shin-chan' goes missing
KASUKABE, Saitama -- Yo****o Usui, author of the popular manga "Crayon Shin-chan," has gone missing, prompting his family to file a search request with police, it has been learned.
Police said that Usui, 51, left his home in Kasukabe on the morning of Sept. 11, saying he was going to the mountains in Gunma Prefecture. However, he failed to return home the same evening as planned, prompting his wife to file a search request with Saitama Prefectural Police the following day. Usui's cell phone was ringing, but there was reportedly no response.
Usui's family told police that the manga author had often going climbing in the mountains. Police in Saitama have sought assistance from Gunma and Nagano prefectural police in searching for him.
"Crayon Shin-chan," which is carried as a serial in "Manga Town," published by Futabasha, is Usui's most well-known work. The main character is Shinnosuke Nohara, a kindergartener living in Kasukabe. The manga has been made into popular television and film anime. On Sept. 5 the film "Ballad Namonaki Koi no Uta," based on an animated Crayon Shin-chan film, opened at theaters across Japan.
Updated:
On September 19th, a climber found a body of a man in Arafune mountain, which Usui headed for. The body fell 250 - 300 meter from the peak rock and was badly damaged. According to the police, the clothes of the body resembles Usui's. The police will recover and identify the body on September 20th.
According to NNN breaking news, Gunma Prefecture Police identified the body found in Arafune mountain as Usui Yo****o, the manga author of Crayon Shin-chan. He was found at the foot of a cliff called Tomoiwa (Picture).
Usui has already handed the manuscripts of Crayon Shin-chan manga corresponding to the serialization until the end of this year.
R.I.P~
