Over the weekend, a Japanese teenage girl was accused of brutally murdering a 15-year-old acquaintance. The crime is shocking and terrible. And some members of the Japanese media have pointed out that the suspect and the victim might have shared a love of anime.
Picture: N7A_ex_ver
According to Kyoto News, the suspect, who is a minor, has reportedly confessed to the murder. The police have not allowed her name or photo to be released to the public (hence, the pixelated image below). The victim’s name and photo, however, have been released.
In Japan, as in many countries, popular forms of entertainment are often pegged as inciting violence. The Japanese reports I have seen regarding this crime haven’t explicitly stated that; however, there seems to be a guilt by association. The suspect that allegedly committed this terrible crime and the acquaintance she allegedly murdered could have had a common love of anime (2人の共通点は”アニメ好き”). You can see that splashed all over this image.
Picture: ttub_geko
“This reporting is ridiculous,” wrote Twitter user Satapom. “So what if they liked anime.” Other Twitter users wrote how they wanted the Japanese media to stop trying to connect crimes to anime.
The connection was made on several different shows.
Picture:Acce_Lon
In the upper corner, it says a shared hobby, anime, was part of their relationship.
Picture:Tkj_Uta Here, again, it explains that part of their relationship, other than being classmates, was a common hobby — anime.
Picture:Rezalia At the bottom, it says “Friendship?” Next to that, it reads “love of anime.”
On anime blog Yaraon, commenters sounded off on these flimsy anime connections to crime. “This prejudiced thinking again?” wrote one commenter, with another adding, “What did anime geeks ever do to the lame-stream media to get this hate?” Others pointed out that by this logic, if you went to see a Studio Ghibli movie or even a Disney movie, then you are corrupted.
“She is a very candid girl, and I used to play tag with her,” an 18-year-old former classmate told Kyodo. “She showed signs of being emotionally unstable and often started crying when she had an argument with someone.”
Maybe the press can blame tag? Or, you know, look more into the “being emotionally unstable” aspect?
Comments
13 responses to “Accused Murderer And Victim Both ‘Liked Anime’”
Ban all animes, it’s the only way.
Won’t somebody think of the children?!
*clutches pearls*
Probably pretty hard to find a 15-year-old in Japan that hasn’t been into anime at some point. They’re all ticking time bombs apparently. Must be why there’s so much violent crime over there.
There isn’t much violent crime there – Japan has a lower homicide rate than Australia or the UK for example.
I’m fairly sure NegativeZero was being sarcastic lol
Oh no not Anime. Best look into if they both liked books and music as well. Corrupting our youth I tell you! What’s next? Kids liking video games?
Thank god under 18 year olds arent allowed to play Pachinko
other things they had in common which, by logical conclusion, must also be held responsible for this crime & therefore banned immediately :
– Breathing
– Eating
– Standing upright
– Opposable thumbs
– Ears
– Living in Japan
– Self-awareness
– 99.999…% of their DNA
– 10 toes
– Many, many other things
I think a far more reasonable thing would be to suggest that the perpetrator probably had something the victim didn’t – a fucking mental instability that caused them to do this.
so how about, rather than demonising hobbies, we as a global society grow the fuck up & take (what is most likely) mental illness seriously & get on with trying to identify & treat of those who suffer from mental illnesses early? before this sorta thing happens.
just a thought.
Ban all DNA, it’s the only way.
I’m going to use the term “lame-stream media” from now on. That is awesome.
Apparently Japan has its very own Kitsune News.
Unless she watches Higurashi no Naku Koro ni. Than that shit is wack.
This is why I’m part of this initiative
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Concerned-moms-against-Anime/139543469545998?fref=ts
To be fair, given how little the article actually says about whether the media outlets are making a direct causative association or not, it may be more a focus on the common interest in anime being what led them to each other, developed the “trust” and then ultimately led to the tragic ending. A lot like the child molesters and murderers in the US that meet and charm their victims over XBox Live.