Cells at Work! author Akane Shimizu opened up about her experiences with illness and abuse during serialization, drawing sympathy from fans and fellow creators alike.

Posting to X, Shimizu remarked that "During Cells at Work!, I was suffering in many ways. I had depression and trichotillomania. Later on, I was also diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder."

Furthermore, Shimizu revealed that she had been the subject of financial and sexual abuse from a family member. As a result, she made the decision to cut off all contact with her older sister, who had been her inspiration to become a creator. The trauma from that period still causes intense pain, but she expressed her wish to share more details in the future.

Almost immediately, an outpouring of love and support filled the replies. One user replied with a picture of their daughter's bookshelf, explaining that Cells at Work! had been pivotal in allowing their child to understand their illness. Another remarked that their daughter had decided to study biology because of Shimizu's work.

SankakuHead, creator of Himouto! Umaru-chan, also commented on the situation. In a quote retweet, he remarked that "I haven't sold half as much as Cells at Work!, but when my manga got super popular around the same time, I suddenly got strange sales calls and requests to invest. A strange kind of distance also opened up between me and my creator friends. The worst feeling of all was that fact that I felt nothing, despite making my dreams come true..."

All of this goes to show that, despite the glitz and glamour, real people are the ones behind our favorite manga. While personal circumstances can't always be avoided, what fans can do is create a space where creators can be honest and open up about their troubles.