What happened to To LOVE-Ru?

There is no doubt that "To LOVE-Ru", a manga written by Saki Hasemi and illustrated by Kentaro Yabuki, is one of the most popular ecchi in the history of anime. The original manga chronicles the life of Rito Yuuki after he meets and accidentally becomes engaged to Lala Satalin Deviluke. All in all, "To LOVE-Ru" is a manga purely dedicated to fan-service, and both Hasemi and Yabuki admitted that they wrote it just to test the limits of what was allowed within a shonen magazine.

But even if it's just this, the work is legendary. "To LOVE-Ru" landed a twenty-six-episode anime adaptation that began airing in Japan in 2008, followed by six OVAs and a twelve-episode second season. In addition, four video games were released for various platforms.

Not only this, after the manga ended, a sequel titled "To LOVE-Ru Darkness" was released between October 2010 and March 2017, and a twenty-six-episode anime adaptation with ten other OVAs was produced based on this sequel.

Hasemi stated that when "To LOVE-Ru" began, there were no limits to Weekly Shonen Jump's romantic comedies. Yabuki said that at the time he would never have imagined that the lewd scenes would become the main focus of the series. As the manga progressed, Yabuki said it was more and more about testing the limits as to what Weekly Shonen Jump would allow them to draw.

Yabuki said that "To LOVE-Ru Darkness" began as a "self-indulgent whim" of his. He drew a sketch and "dragged" Hasemi back to make a sequel. Hasemi described it as a spin-off with the intention of maintaining the spirit of the original, while "adapting its relationships to a new vector of development". He said that he was pleased with the way they portrayed the changes in Momo's heart, and that Lala and Haruna also made romantic progress. Yabuki also initiated the end of Darkness, communicating it to Hasemi, the editor-in-chief, and everyone else involved around May or June 2016, the franchise's 10th anniversary.

I had several reasons; the events included in Volume 18 finished telling everything there was to say about "Momo and Yami's Darkness Arc as they originally planned it", both authors and readers had become too desensitized to ecchi, 18 volumes match the original manga, and 10 years seemed an ideal length. Yabuki also said that he couldn't let "To LOVE-Ru Darkness" drag on uselessly forever, simply because he cared about the work. The latest volume leaves open the question of what actually happens at the end, and both creators claimed that it wasn't the definitive end of the franchise.

But did you know there's more to tell? It seemed to many that the original "To LOVE-Ru" manga was actually canceled by the publisher or the creative team itself, forcing the authors to make a fast-paced and unsatisfying ending. The manga was doing great in Weekly Shonen Jump and the publisher Shueisha was reporting millions of copies sold, what happened then?

It seems that the problem came from Kentaro Yabuki, the illustrator, because a comment that continues to be quoted to this day wrote:

• "Shiho, Yabuki's wife, appears to be a failed wife and mother (they had a daughter), and spent much of her time watching videos on the internet. He slept with another and "kidnapped" the daughter while doing so. Yabuki "begged" her to come back for the sake of her daughter, but she left soon after, this time taking her daughter, her computer, and her credit cards. Shiho filed for divorce in March 2009 along with a large portion of Yabuki's assets alleging a clash of personalities, but when evidence was found on his computer that it had been his fault, he demanded cash in exchange for Yabuki's right to custody of his daughter, to which he agreed.

Another rather curious detail is that Haruna Sairenji practically disappears within the manga, and the explanation also has to do with Kentaro Yabuki's ex-wife:

• "Haruna was actually a character based on Shiho, so it's pretty obvious that Yabuki is pushing her aside to give Yui the spotlight, which explains why Yui suddenly blossomed out of nowhere. The fact that Shiho demanded more money from Yabuki for the fact that Haruna is based on her caused Yabuki to further cut Haruna's appearances and roles (yes, Shiho is a bitch) and ultimately end the manga prematurely."

These details on "To LOVE-Ru" offer a powerful reflection on the intersection between artists' personal lives and their creative work. While readers may be disappointed by an abrupt and unsatisfying denouement, it's important to remember that content creators are also human beings with complex personal lives and emotional challenges. This situation reminds us of the delicate balance between artistic expression and everyday realities, as well as the need for understanding and empathy towards those who bring our favorite stories to life.

Source: Reddit