If you're deep in the ACG world, you've probably heard of "NTR." Short for "Netorare" (寝取られ／ねとられ) in Japanese, it basically means getting cuckolded or having your significant other stolen by someone else. It's even spawned terms like "Gyūtōjin" (牛頭人) for those who *actively* make others NTR'd, becoming a popular buzzword in its own right.
This theme is no stranger to anime, manga, and games, with entire categories dedicated to it on sites like DLsite. But today (March 11), a real-life, jaw-dropping case hit Japanese X (formerly Twitter). Veteran manga artist Kei Kusunoki (@keikusunoki) dropped a bombshell, revealing her husband had been cheating on her for over a decade! She even wryly wondered if she could turn the whole messy ordeal into an "NTR work," sparking a massive online discussion.
According to Kusunoki's post, her husband was having a secret, decade-long affair with "his middle school classmate"—who also happened to be his ex-girlfriend! And if that wasn't wild enough, a whole posse of his male middle school friends apparently conspired to cover for him, forming a "group defense" to keep her in the dark. The absolute kicker? They even shacked up during the COVID-19 pandemic! Kusunoki then quipped, "Hey, I'm a professional manga artist, you know? This story is so intense, can I actually draw it as a manga?"
(The phrase "My name is Ashitaka!" used in her post is a Japanese X meme, signifying someone feeling utterly miserable and speaking as the suffering protagonist from "Princess Mononoke.")
Kei Kusunoki, 59, is the twin sister of fellow manga artist Kaoru Ohashi. Her past works include "Yagami-kun's Family Affairs," "BITTER VIRGIN," and "Ogre Slayer."
Her sudden revelation about her husband's infidelity immediately drew concern from fans. Many were surprised, as Kusunoki had recently posted photos of herself dining with her husband, suggesting a loving relationship. How could this have happened?
▼ She even posted about their 27th wedding anniversary in February.
Her twin sister, Kaoru Ohashi, also posted, confirming the incident was real and "only a small part of it." She encouraged Kusunoki to stay strong and keep fighting.
Fans flooded Kusunoki with support, with some even offering legal expertise if she needed help. As for turning it into an "NTR work," many fans were all for it, suggesting it could even be used as evidence in court later on.
One netizen even recalled a similar post Kusunoki made on April Fool's Day, though that was to promote a work featuring such a storyline. Could this time truly be the real deal? 
Of course, it's currently impossible to confirm the full truth of Kusunoki's situation. Still, it has undeniably captured the attention of countless netizens and fans. One can only imagine what it would feel like to turn such a personal, painful experience into an NTR manga...