Mandarake controversies
Controversies tied to this brand in public sources. A listing is not a finding of fault.
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2018
Ai to Makoto illustration ownership dispute
Kodansha requested the return of an original Ai to Makoto illustration listed by Mandarake and asked the public not to bid. The item nevertheless sold at auction to a private purchaser.
2016
Online-auction identity-verification violation
The company was cited for failing to adequately verify the identities of some online-auction purchasers as required under Japan’s second-hand-goods regulations. A court suspended Mandarake Complex’s online-sales license for one month and imposed a fine.
2014
Security-image controversy after toy theft
Mandarake’s decision to publish a partially obscured image of a suspected shoplifter, together with a warning that the face could be revealed, triggered debate about privacy, intimidation, and the limits of public identification. The company ultimately did not publish the uncensored image.
2003
Dispute over manuscripts sold by Sakura Comics
Mandarake sold manuscripts by Kenshi Hirokane and Yayoi Watanabe that had been transferred to the retailer by their publisher during financial difficulties. The artists argued that the publisher was not entitled to sell the works, and the manuscripts were eventually returned after litigation.