Akane Shimizu reveals that she created Cells at Work! while silently fighting depression and PTSD

While millions of people read Cells at Work! (Hataraku Saibou) and they learned about red and white blood cells that work non-stop to keep the body alive, its author, Akane Shimizuwas fighting a completely different battle, and completely silent. On June 15, 2026, through its official account at x, Shimizu revealed that during the years of serialization of the manga she was diagnosed with depression, trichotillomania and post-traumatic stress disorder. The fandom didn't know. The industry didn't say it either. She kept it for years.

What Akane Shimizu revealed

In his own words, published in X on June 15: “During the serialization of Cells at Work!multiple difficult situations accumulated at the same time. I received a diagnosis of depression and trichotillomania, and later post-traumatic stress disorder.”

But the diagnoses weren't the only thing he went through in silence. Shimizu also revealed that during that period he suffered economic harm and sexual abuse from people in his immediate environment, and that when he sought support from his family, he faced revictimization, that is, instead of receiving support, the family response aggravated the damage. As a result of all this, he lost contact with his younger sister, the same person who gave him the original impetus to write. Cells at Work! first of all.

“What I experienced then remains a big wound to this day”wrote. “I plan to share it little by little, as I can.”ç

About Akane Shimizu

Akane Shimizu debuted in the manga with Hataraku Saibou (Cells at Work!), which won the Grand Prize of the 27th Shōnen Sirius New Face Award in 2014 with the short story Saibou no Hanashi (The story of a cell). Full serialization began in 2015 and concluded in 2021. Currently continuing work on Yellow Flamehis most recent project, published with a new publisher.