Shihei Lin, the prolific editor of Spy x Family and Chainsaw Man at Weekly Shonen Jump magazine, has been hospitalized after a brain hemorrhage earlier this week.
On Nov. 7, 2023, Lin revealed that he had been hospitalized since Nov. 5th after the incident. The translated translated post via X reads, "[Business Message]: Since Sunday the 5th, I have been hospitalized due to sudden illness. It seems a blood vessel in the brain, deep behind my right eye, ruptured suddenly. (I'm told it's an idiopathic condition of unknown cause). It was my first time riding in an ambulance. I sincerely apologize for delayed responses to emails and other communications. (I notified those who urgently needed it, but apologize to any I was unable to contact). Thanks to the medical professionals' wonderfully meticulous initial treatment; there seem to be no particular aftereffects, and my condition is recovering with medication and IV drips."
While Lin appears to already be getting back into business mode, he stated he would be taking things slow for now, continuing, "I was very fortunate. I'm scheduled to be discharged this weekend. I think my busy schedule and stress must surely be part of the cause, so I intend to control things to have a bit more margin! I plan to make use of and rely on the assistance of those near me. To those whose meetings and meals with me I had to reschedule, I will contact you from this weekend onward to reset dates next week onward. Focusing on recovery, I will be moving forward slowly. By all means, thank you for your kind understanding!!"
Lin is one of the most prolific manga editors in Japan. In CBR's previous coverage of Lin, it was learned that he had managed over 100 titles, including Yuji Kaku's Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku and Kazue Kato's Blue Exorcist. Both went on to have successful anime adaptations, with Blue Exorcist: Shimane Illuminati Arc set to premiere in January 2024. Lin also supervises the ongoing Shonen Jump bestsellers Spy x Family, Dandandan, and Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man, with some insight into his process outlined below.
"It looks like a villain," Lin said to Fujimoto, to which Fujimoto responded, "He also has a human form, and will become cool." Lin workshopped with Fujimoto, using his ideas and making suggestions for what has now become a worldwide phenomenon in Chainsaw Man. The editor shared a similar anecdote regarding one of Jump's most promising titles, Dandandan. Creator Yukinobu Tatsu's initial idea was to "do a car chase like Mad Max, and to mix Speed with it." It's speculated that a Dandandan anime may soon be announced, especially with Jump Festa approaching, which typically sees major reveals.
Lin's hospitalization, while currently of unknown cause, possibly speaks to the conditions of those involved in the manga industry. My Hero Academia fans took to X earlier this year begging begging Horikoshi Kohei to consider his health. One Piece's Eiichiro Oda previously revealed working from his hospital bed, and Oshi no Ko's Aka Akasaka only recently returned from a two-month hiatus due to health complications.
Source: Shihei Lin official X (formerly Twitter)
