日本知名漫畫家桂正和的代表作《電影少女》（Video Girl Ai）原稿大量遺失事件，自2025年底曝光以來，持續在漫畫界與收藏市場引發巨大震撼，並一路延燒至2026年初，成為近年日本漫畫史上最嚴重、也最具象徵性的原稿失竊案件之一。

事件的核心在於失竊規模之龐大與作品地位之關鍵。桂正和於2025年11月親自對外說明，其生涯代表作《電影少女》全15集的手繪原稿竟然全數下落不明，總數約2,500張。對於仍高度重視「原稿文化」的日本漫畫產業而言，這不只是單一作品的財產損失，更等同於一整段創作歷史被切割、流失。

根據桂正和的說法，原稿遺失的時間點可追溯至2024年10月。他當時因工作室搬遷，已事先將《電影少女》的原稿依照集數仔細分類，並統一收納、上鎖於置物櫃中。然而在實際搬運與轉移過程裡，這批極具價值的原稿卻在不知不覺中消失。由於搬遷涉及多個環節與人員，事後難以立即釐清責任歸屬，也讓追查難度大幅提高。

真正讓事件全面爆發的，是這些原稿隨後陸續出現在日本Yahoo! 拍賣平台上的事實。自2025年下半年起，多張標示為《電影少女》原畫的作品被匿名帳號上架競標，起標價往往就高達十多萬至數十萬日圓，而部分經典分鏡、名場面甚至被喊價超過100萬日圓。對熟悉桂正和畫風的資深讀者與業界人士而言，這些拍品的真實性幾乎無可否認，也間接證實了原稿確實已流入非法市場。

若以收藏市場相對保守的均價估算，每張原稿約30萬日圓，2,500張原稿的總價值高達7.5億日圓，折合約1.6 億新台幣。這還不包含其無法用金錢衡量的文化與藝術價值。《電影少女》不僅是1990年代少年漫畫的代表作之一，更是影響無數後輩漫畫家的關鍵作品，其原稿本身承載的是日本漫畫黃金年代的創作痕跡。

進入2026年後，事件仍未平息。桂正和多次公開發聲，情緒罕見地強烈，直言這些原稿是自己「一生的心血」，並嚴正呼籲收藏家與粉絲切勿購買來路不明的原畫作品，強調任何參與競標與轉售的行為，都可能間接助長非法市場，對創作者造成二次傷害。

此事件也迅速獲得漫畫業界的廣泛聲援，包括《獵人》作者冨樫義博在內，多位重量級漫畫家與相關人士公開表態，譴責非法轉售原稿的行為，並指出原稿不只是商品，而是創作者人格與勞動成果的延伸，理應受到更嚴格的保護。

在調查進度方面，截至2026年初，桂正和已表示掌握部分關鍵線索，並鎖定特定可疑對象，正持續與警方及拍賣平台進行合作追查。雖然尚未對外公布具體細節，但相關拍賣帳號已受到高度關注，部分商品也被緊急下架。外界普遍期待此案能成為推動原稿保護制度與拍賣平台審查機制改革的重要轉捩點。

整體而言，《電影少女》原稿遺失事件不僅是桂正和個人的巨大打擊，也讓整個日本漫畫產業重新正視原稿保存、流通與法律保護的長期漏洞。無論最終能否完整追回原稿，這起事件都已成為一個無法被忽視的警訊，深刻提醒人們：漫畫不只是印刷品，更是一段無法複製的創作歷史。

The large-scale loss of original artwork from Video Girl Ai, the signature work of renowned Japanese manga artist Masakazu Katsura, first came to light in late 2025 and has continued to reverberate through the manga industry into early 2026. The incident has shocked both creators and collectors, becoming one of the most serious and symbolically significant cases of stolen manga manuscripts in recent Japanese publishing history.

At the heart of the controversy is the sheer scale of the loss and the cultural importance of the work itself. In November 2025, Katsura publicly revealed that the complete set of original hand-drawn manuscripts for Video Girl Ai—all 15 volumes, totaling approximately 2,500 pages—had gone missing. In an industry that still places great value on original artwork, this was not merely a financial loss tied to a single title, but the disappearance of an entire chapter of creative history.

According to Katsura, the loss can be traced back to October 2024, when he relocated his studio. Prior to the move, he had carefully sorted the Video Girl Ai manuscripts by volume and stored them securely in locked cabinets. However, during the course of the relocation, these irreplaceable originals vanished without notice. Because the move involved multiple stages and personnel, determining responsibility afterward proved extremely difficult, significantly complicating the investigation.

The situation escalated dramatically when the missing manuscripts began appearing on Yahoo! Auctions Japan. From the latter half of 2025 onward, multiple original pages identified as artwork from Video Girl Ai were listed by anonymous sellers. Starting bids alone ranged from several hundred thousand yen, while especially iconic scenes and panels were bid up to more than one million yen each. For longtime readers and industry professionals familiar with Katsura’s distinctive style, the authenticity of these pieces was virtually undeniable, further confirming that the stolen originals had entered the black market.

Based on a conservative estimate of approximately 300,000 yen per page, the total market value of the 2,500 missing manuscripts is believed to reach 750 million yen—roughly 160 million New Taiwan dollars. This figure does not account for the immeasurable cultural and artistic value of the originals. Video Girl Ai is widely regarded as a defining work of 1990s shōnen manga and a major influence on later generations of artists; its original pages preserve the tangible creative traces of a golden era in Japanese manga.

As the case carried into 2026, it showed no signs of fading. Katsura has spoken out repeatedly, expressing rare and intense anger, stating that the manuscripts represent “the work of my entire life.” He has strongly urged fans and collectors not to purchase artwork of uncertain or illegal origin, warning that participation in such auctions only fuels the illicit market and inflicts further harm on creators.

The incident has also drawn widespread support from within the manga community. Prominent figures, including Yoshihiro Togashi, creator of Hunter × Hunter, have publicly voiced their backing for Katsura, condemning the illegal resale of original manuscripts. Many have emphasized that manga originals are not mere commodities, but extensions of an artist’s identity and labor, deserving far stronger protection.

Regarding the investigation, Katsura stated in early 2026 that he has obtained several key leads and has identified specific suspects. He is currently cooperating closely with the police and relevant online platforms to trace the stolen works. While concrete details have not yet been made public, the auction accounts involved are reportedly under intense scrutiny, and some listings have already been taken down. Observers hope the case will serve as a catalyst for reform, prompting stronger protections for original artwork and stricter oversight mechanisms on auction platforms.

Overall, the loss of the Video Girl Ai manuscripts represents not only a devastating personal blow to Masakazu Katsura, but also a wake-up call for the entire Japanese manga industry. It has exposed long-standing vulnerabilities in the preservation, circulation, and legal protection of original artwork. Regardless of whether the manuscripts are ultimately recovered in full, the incident has already become an undeniable warning: manga is not merely printed entertainment, but a form of creative history that cannot be replaced once lost.