Today it was announced that Akira Hiramoto, creator of the popular manga series "Prison School," has come down with the flu. As a result of this, "Prison School" will go on hiatus while the author recovers.

"He has influenza!?" said one of Hiramoto's characters. "For real...!?"

Anime News Network reports that the above quotes were depicted in the current issue of Kodansha's Young Magazine in place of where his latest chapter of "Prison School" would have appeared. No announcement has been made as to when "Prison School" will return to serialization, but here's hoping for a speedy recovery on the part of Hiramoto.

Hiramoto joins "Bleach" creator Tite Kubo in the latest list of high profile manga creators to fall ill during the current flu epidemic in Japan. According to Japan Today, a Flu Epidemic alert was issued to all 47 prefectures in the country by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases on Jan. 25. It was also reported that during the week of Jan. 11 to Jan. 18, over 2 million people were being treated in Japan for the flu.

"Prison School" is reported by Kodansha to have over 4 million copies in print and began its serialization in Young Magazine in February 2011. Volume 16 of "Prison School" is set to be released on March 6 in Japan. Yen Press recently licensed the manga series for North America and an anime adaptation is currently in the works.

Manga Here describes the story of "Prison School" as follows:

"At edge of Tokyo, there is Hachimitsu private school. It is a honored all girls boarding school...at least it used to be. From this year onward, because the board chairman has been switched, the education policy has been changed. It now allows boys to attend the school, but only 5 boys enrolled to school and number of female students is 1000. From the overwhelming number of female students, what awaits the boys? Heaven or hell?"