Visual Arts, the Japanese video game company best known for running the Key visual novel brand, announced on October 19 that Jun Maeda has been diagnosed with pharyngeal cancer.

Maeda is one of the co-founders of Key and has worked on the planning, screenwriting and music for many of its games, including Kanon, Air, Clannad and Little Busters. He is often credited as the driving force behind the brand’s rise to success. His most recent projects include creating and composing the soundtrack for Summer Pockets, and he has also been working on the free-to-play RPG Heaven Burns Red.

We would like to share an important announcement concerning our creator, Jun Maeda.
For details, please refer to the attachments. https://t.co/4tUBOLPnNy

— VISUAL ARTS Co.,Ltd. (@VisualArtsUSA) October 19, 2026

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According to the announcement, Maeda began feeling discomfort in his throat in early spring of 2026, and the symptoms got worse over the following months before he was diagnosed. After carefully considering his current condition and the outlook for treatment, he decided to receive palliative care instead of active treatment so he can focus on his creative work. He is currently hospitalized, but he has expressed a strong determination to devote himself to that work.

For Heaven Burns Red, Maeda has finished his portions of the main story up to the first half of Chapter 6, along with all the main story beats through the end of that chapter. He has also completed the music for the first half of Chapter 6. How much more he takes part in the project will depend on how his illness progresses.

Maeda had also planned to launch a new long-term original music project on YouTube. Following the diagnosis, he decided to concentrate on finishing the songs already in development and getting them to fans as quickly as possible. At his strong request, the music will be released on YouTube going forward.