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Kimagure Orange Road's Creator Izumi Matsumoto Passes Away

Wave Studio announced on manga creator Izumi Matsumoto's blog on the Comic-On website on Tuesday that Matsumoto passed away on October 6. He was 61.

In recent years, the Kimagure Orange Road manga creator had been suffering from general malaise due to cerebrospinal fluid hypovolemia (depleted cerebrospinal fluid). Matsumoto desired to return to work and continued to fight the illness, while being anxious about heart surgery he had several years ago. According to his doctor, he passed away in his sleep without suffering.

Matsumoto had revealed on his blog in November 2019 that he had spinal stenosis, an abnormal narrowing of the spinal canal that puts pressure on the spinal cord. He had said that he had severe numbness in his legs, and he was unsure what to do going forward.

Matsumoto had explained that he began to get numbness in his legs several years ago. He became unable to sleep due to the severity of the numbness one week prior to his November blog post. He went to a hospital to get sleeping pills, and he had been taking them. However, because the numbness was so severe, the sleeping pills were sometimes ineffective. Matsumoto had said, "Sleeping has become scary every night."

Matsumoto had further explained that there was pressure on the bones and muscles surrounding the nerves of his spinal cord, creating pain and numbness due to apparent spinal stenosis. Aging may have contributed to Matsumoto's condition. He had also believed that his many years working at a desk may have contributed because the focus of his condition was on his pelvic region. Matsumoto noted that he had an MRI at an orthopedic clinic, and that uncovered his condition. He said that he had no pain, but daily activities had become difficult due to the severe numbness.

Although Matsumoto had been taking medicine from the orthopedic clinic, his condition had not improved much. Matsumoto found surgery listed as a solution after doing research online. He said that he was reluctant to pursue surgery because he was scared and also because it was expensive.

Matsumoto had announced on his blog in October 2018 that he planned to resume his activities after more than two years of fighting an illness.

Matsumoto had revealed on his blog in August 2016 that he had a relapse of cerebrospinal fluid hypovolemia at the end of April 2016 after he hit his head when someone knocked him over while rushing to catch a train, and he was bedridden for three months. Matsumoto began hospital treatment for the condition in August 2016. Digital Manga Inc. then stated in November 2016 that Matsumoto's condition was "growing worse," and that he experienced seizures regularly.

Matsumoto stated in 2016 that the blue light emitted by LED screens worsened the condition, so he had been unable to use his computer or smartphone, and could not check his emails. He had asked a friend to check his messages while he was being treated.

Matsumoto previously gave up drawing manga in 1999 due to the same illness, but did not receive the right diagnosis until 2004. He returned to work in fall 2005 after treatment.

Matsumoto's Kimagure Orange Road manga series ran in Shueisha's Weekly Shonen Jump magazine from 1984 to 1987. The 18-volume story followed a boy with supernatural powers as he dealt with a love triangle between two girls in his high school. Digital Manga Inc. successfully ran a Kickstarter campaign in 2016 to re-translate and publish the manga in English.

The manga inspired a popular 1987-1988 television anime series, two films, and various anime videos. AnimEigo released the television anime series, the first movie, and the later video anime series, while ADV Films handled the second movie, Kimagure Orange Road: Summer's Beginning.

Source: Izumi Matsumoto's blog