The otaku murderer of a 5-year-old girl has been arrested, and upon investigation his residence was found to be festooned with bishoujo anime and manga related goods, with an entire wall given over to bishoujo posters prominently featuring magical girl anime PreCure.

The corpse of his victim, 成田幸満 / Yukimaro Narita (5), or “Yukimaro-chan”, was found abandoned two and a half months ago, and only now have police arrested a suspect, after he was found carrying her clothes in a bag.

The apparent culprit, 勝木諒 / Ryou Katsuki (21), pictured, acknowledges his guilt (for abandoning the corpse) and goes so far as to apologise for this. It seems he does not acknowledge the actual murder. He was arrested carrying the clothes and shoes of the deceased girl in a bag near his residence.

Katsuki describes the moment of the probable murder in indirect fashion: “I told her ‘Go home’, but she kept following me. Before I knew it, she was at the genkan. Before I knew it, she was senseless.” It seems he admits only to abandoning her corpse, saying he was “scared”.

He dumped Yukimaro-chan’s corpse near to the six story apartment building where he lived with his mother, where she was later discovered. She was apparently strangled.

After the murder, it seems he became a stalker, with a female resident of the same apartments reporting that he followed her about the building on one occasion, and then made a call to her residence asking after her daughter.

He then apparently started stalking a female Mainichi reporter who had been investigating the murder, following her, and calling her up to ten times a day, without saying a word throughout.

Here he is interviewed by one such reporter some time prior to his arrest:

“Have you seen anything of Yukimaro-chan?”

“I’ve seen nothing of her.”

Katsuki worked in a futon factory for three years, apparently without much issue, but he seems to have suddenly taken unauthorised leave of his work some months ago, and his doting mother apparently later communicated to them his desire to resign. This occurred just the day before he killed his victim.

Various interviews with his acquaintances show them exhibiting surprise that he might do such a thing. It does not seem they knew of his stalking activities either.

Katsuki was also said to frequent the local video rental establishment, where he would rent large amounts of anime, idol related CDs and videos, as well as western films and period dramas. Katsuki himself also said he frequented the local library and did much reading.

Of course, the media directs most attention to his anime otaku proclivities, with the aforementioned taste for PreCure being highlighted, along with his large manga collection, perhaps reasonable given his interest in that and similar titles seems to have been quite intense.

Via Mainichi, etc.

We are left with the portrait of a fat, magical girl obsessed otaku who lived alone with his mother whilst plying a dead-end job, and then quit, murdered a little girl and started stalking various females. Almost a caricature.

Clearly, the sort of mania otaku embody seems frequently to lead to excess, though rarely with so a tragic a consequence as this; there are certainly exceptions to this, however.

Children’s mahou shoujo anime Precure, aimed at primary school girls aged 4-6, has recently had its latest incarnation in the form of Fresh Pretty Cure; oddly, in addition to the target demographic, the anime has picked up a notable following of adult otaku, who lately have attracted attention to themselves with interminable debates over doujinshi and other weighty matters, conducted on the official boards.

As is evident from the nature of the discussion and the difficult language used (including one very strange individual referring to himself using the same language a monk or samurai would use), the debate participants are unlikely to be primary schoolers. In fact, the board shows no sign of any schoolgirl presence at all…

After being raised by Vippers (denizens of a famous board on 2ch) and then reported widely, it seems Toei’s discomfort finally reached critical levels, as now the board has been taken offline “temporarily”:

Thank you for using the Fresh Precure BBS.

We would like to make an important announcement.

Thank you for using the Fresh Precure BBS.

We would like to make an important announcement.

Recently, the BBS has strayed from being a place general users can utilize to one where “Prohibited conduct which discomforts other users” is becoming an issue. As a result, we must unfortunately suspend the board temporarily.

Thank you for using the board, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Have otaku have driven some poor little six-year-old girls to tears with the closure of their venue for discussing the anime?

One charmingly good natured, or some might say naive, interpretation from a Vipper is that “You guys are all overreacting, they are all just fathers who have been watching it together with their daughters, and have gotten into it, that’s all.” Hence the doujinshi discussion…

Anime is in vogue, literally, for the Japanese edition of glossy fashion rag Vogue, Vogue Nippon, is covering manga and anime of interest to “fashionistas”.

“Super-sexy and ultra-cool manga yield super-style, enjoyed the world over!” gushes the cover. This apparently includes PreCure, Evangelion, Dejiko and Sekirei, all renowned for their style…

The rag goes on to to explain some of the fashions featured in anime which impress it, though megane, nekomimi and sukumizu are inexplicably omitted in favour of a variety of bursting bodices and tight garments. Clearly tastes differ…

Via Hachimaki.

Pretty Cure fans can’t help but notice that this anime, aimed at little girls and otaku, has some splendid oppai on display.

A case of shrewd marketing and surprising production quality?

Oppai anime Fresh Precure has attracted note in its twentieth episode for managing to satisfy both its core demographics, with young girls getting mahou shoujo adventures whilst 2ch gets full on tentacle molestation, a classic combination of genres it has to be said.

You can see more of just what makes this anime so beloved of 2ch below:

Those core demographics in detail:

Draw your own conclusions.

The good source.

Pretty Cure, shoujo anime beloved of little girls and their big friends, has attracted attention for a hidden Hatsune Miku cameo of sorts: the “ミクミクニシテヤンヨ” (MikuMiku-ni Shite Yan Yo) refrain will be familiar to Miku fans from the extremely famous tune:

Leaving aside the matter of Miku’s incursion into the world of Precure (presumably a little fun on the part of the animators), just how the discoverer came upon this is itself an object of no small wonder.

Fans of Angel Beats have been aghast at a ranking of the best anime of spring 2010 which manages to completely omit the anime in favour of such classics as the latest Precure.

The survey, conducted by Japanese anime portal AnimeOne, is predictably headed by a certain non-moe anime:

1. K-ON!!

2. Durarara!!

3. Working!!

4. Heartcatch Precure!

5. Ookiku Furikabutte

6. Giant Killing

7. Katanagatari

8. B-Gata H-Kei

9. Yojouhan shinwa taikei

10. Kaichou ha Meido-sama!

Contrast to the recent Dengeki ranking.

The question on the lips of fans is of course “Whither Angel Beats?”

Antagonist Eas from anime Precure is getting a figure rendition set to be released December 2010, by Alpha Omega.

The figure features Eas in her usual striking costume, a cold expression and an interesting pose in which she exposes her waki and thighs – again, clearly not a piece intended for the show’s 6-year-old girl target demographic.

Eas can be pre-ordered now.

The “Minna de Kimeru” anime ranking for the best series to air during summer 2010 yields a list with a number of unexpected (some would say strange) entries, though of course there are no prizes for guessing which anime grabbed the top spot.

The ranking, with the average scores each received:

1. K-ON!! (4.44)

2. Giant Killing (4.35)

3. Heart Catch Precure (4.32)

4. Occult Gakuin (4.15)

5. Kaichou wa Meido-sama!

6. Strike Witches 2 (4.01)

7. Highschool of the Dead (3.98)

8. Mitsudo Moe (3.98)

9. Sekirei – Pure Engagement (3.97)

10. Amagami SS (3.93)

Anime fans will of course notice some notable omissions…

A wife disgusted after finding out her husband is a creepy Precure fan begs random strangers for help in coming to grips with the fact she is stuck with a horrible lolicon for a husband.

The initial query made by a concerned wife on Yahoo! Japan’s “Knowledge Bag” (Yahoo! Answers):

“My husband is secretly recording Precure in his room… it’s so gross I’m in my room crying!

He doesn’t seem to realise I know yet and still tells me he loves me, but I can’t help but think he prefers little girls to me and is some kind of lolicon! How can I recover from this…

About him: he’s 26 and admits to liking Kamen Rider and American comics. I’m really shocked, I thought he had no hobbies.”

The “best answer”:

“What does it matter what interest your husband has if it isn’t causing bother to you?

My friend’s husband is in his late forties and is a huge Kamen rider fan – he spent $500 on a henshin belt. We all found that pretty cute!

Another friend’s husband is a huge Pokemon fan and still buys Pokemon games and goods.

I know another who is a shoujo manga otaku – it seems Precure has lots of cute girls and is popular with anime otaku.

He’s probably not even a lolicon, he probably just loves 2D girls in a pure sort of way.

However old they are, men are still boys at heart. That’s just how they are, although of course there are those who aren’t, but let’s forgive them their hobbies!

Would you rather a husband obsessed with fishing who went off with his pals each and every weekend to catch fish? He’d live for fishing, not for you.

If it’s not getting in the way of family life, you should leave it at that.

By the way, I’m a “Harlequin” [a popular publisher of romance novels] otaku myself, and at first I hid that from my husband, but now I just read them openly.

It doesn’t bother anyone and I’ve no intention of giving it up.”

For once, it seems a happy ending may be in the offing – the original complainant responds:

“Everyone, thanks for your answers!

I watched Heart Catch with my husband, and I’m hooked…

Erika is cute!”

A lonely otaku desperate to sleep with Cure Pine but unable to obtain any dakimakura of her has taken matters into his own hands and made a DIY dakimakura of her, with the finished article being of surprising quality, economy, and ease of manufacture.

He shared the secrets of her manufacture with 2ch, as reproduced below.

The guide:

My wife’s dakimakura is sold out… there’s nothing for it but to make her myself!

Materials:

Dakimakura (the pillow itself)

Dakimakura cover

The picture you want to print [an unofficial picture of Cure Pine in this case]

Iron print paper

Tools:

Inkjet printer

Cutter

Cellophane tape

Ruler

[Summary instructions:

First magnify and print the picture as a poster on multiple A4 sheets to test its fit. The standard size for a dakimakura is about 120cmx40cm.

Then print to the iron-on paper, remembering to reverse the image as it will be transferred back to front.

After this trim off the excess paper, leaving 5mm or so around the edge of the image.

Next, tape the cut sheets together - take care they do not have gaps or can become unstuck.

It's important to read the instructions for the paper - in my case, the sheets were made by Epson and stated they should only be used on pure cotton fabrics.

Next you place the sheets onto the cover, which you should lay on a firm, flat surface - on the floor with some newspapers will do. Then iron it on, following the instructions given with the paper.

Once it is finished you peel off the paper, taking special care to make sure it comes off properly and that everything adhered OK.]

My thoughts on making it:

Good:

It is cheap, 1270 for the pillow, 780 for the cover, and 2000 for the paper, so 4050 in total. You can make it with any picture you like.

Bad:

Depending on the size of the original the print can turn out rough. The printed side doesn’t feel so good.  It may not be very durable, although some say they have had them for over a year without degradation.

Creepy mahou shoujo fans have once again been causing trouble, this time apparently having the temerity to go to the same cinema as a mother with her daughter – who naturally felt there was some danger of her daughter being ravished somehow by such an unwelcome interloper.

From a question posed to the notoriously erudite inhabitants of Yahoo! (and now removed for reasons which can only be guessed at):

I went to the cinema with my daughter to watch Precure and there was a single man there!

I went to the cinema with my daughter, and I couldn’t help but notice what appeared to be a single man there.

Honestly, it’s creepy, and I wouldn’t want him to sit next to a child or anything.

I’d be worried about what he might do…

Can’t they at least keep out of cinemas showing films for kids during the day?

How she would respond on learning that the makers of Precure deliberately market their anime both to little girls and creepy otaku men is probably best left to the imagination.

Creepy single men have a lot to say about this in any case:

“This is a bit too frank…”

“One of the responses says that ‘Maybe the guy didn’t want to sit next to your kid because he thought she was creepy. I’d like them to ban noisy kids from the cinema!’ Stop that!”

“Adults should go at night though.”

“People like this think only families should be allowed in at Disney movies, and only couples at romances. They just want to force their own rules on other people.”

“The persecution complex of the questioner and the megalomania of all the answers seem to be at cross-purposes there.”

“I bet you guys were all going in there on the opening day weekend with all the families. I would have crept in on the early morning weekday showing and shamefully sat at the back.”

“Next up is banning men from toy and sweet shops, isn’t it?”

“They should ban schoolgirls from sentai and Kamen Rider movies too then.”

“If you sit at the front they are not going to be able to see past your head. Please sit at the back.”

“Perhaps they should do it like with the women only carriages – allocate a block of family seating in each theatre?”

“I bet she doesn’t realise he was there for the MILFs…”

“Relax ladies, we’re only interested in middle schoolers, not your little brats.”

Internet denizens are now marvelling at the cosplay prowess of “Scarlet -Hiiro-,” a Japanese cosplayer whose mastery of what it can only be hoped are the dark arts of Photoshop has blurred the line between 2D and 3D to nothing, and whose terrifyingly deformed appear to owe as much to Chinese princess of creepiness Koko as they do to the saucer-eyed staples of shoujo anime….

Her homepage (assuming Scarlet is in fact a female – she identifies herself only as “a Japanese cosplayer who enjoys cosplaying their favourite characters, irrespective of whether they are boys or girls”).

One thing is certain – Koko has much to answer for.

Police are hunting an apparent Precure fan for stroking a little girl in public, alarming creepy otaku watchers everywhere.

According to the Osaka police report, a man approached a group of 3 elementary school girls on their way home whilst mumbling and talking to himself, and then proceeded to stroke one of them on the head.

Their assailant was described as being of uncertain age, and wearing a pink Pretty Cure T-shirt and a hat of unknown colour.

Police ask anyone seeing him or any other suspicious person to report the matter to police.

Online there is a certain lack of surprise that this turned out to be a Precure fan:

“You guys again!”

“Those Pretards have been stroking the heads of little girls again, eh?”

“This stuff only ever happens in Osaka! It’s wrecking their image…”

“Stroking a little girl’s head is nothing compared to wearing a Precure T-shirt!”

“Do they even have adult sizes for those?”

“You can get sukumizu in adult male sizes so I’d think so.”

“Any adult wearing a Precure shirt is a serious cause for concern.”

“I’m more concerned about that hat of unknown colour he had. Scary stuff.”

“Osaka’s warning system lists scores of these incidents every day…”

“There’s one which describes a young man in school uniform carrying a sports bag ‘silently following’ a middle school girl on her way home. Some of the people reporting these things are clearly suffering paranoid delusions…”

The cosplay queen Kanda Midori returns with a pouting cosplay of Kise Yayoi from Smile Pretty Cure, including the obligatory double peace…

The man who attempted to bag a 12-year-old girl and make off with her in a taxi has been denounced by the media as a creepy lolicon Precure otaku, with psychologists immediately blaming anime and manga and the media calling for yet more anime censorship.

The 20-year-old student plucked a 150cm tall 12-year-old off the street and forced her into his bag with a fruit knife, taping her hands, but after putting the bag in the trunk of a taxi her cries of “let me out!” aroused the suspicions of the driver, who had previously thought the bag might contain a dog or other unusual contents.

The man immediately asked to be let off the taxi, but the driver – a prefectural boxing champion – grabbed him as he ran off and held him in the back seat, asking a passer-by to call the police.

The girl was unharmed, and police promptly arrested her kidnapper at the scene.

His motivations for attempting to kidnap the girl are still not entirely clear (although they seem obvious enough), and he only says “my circle activities were not going well so I resolved to assault a little girl out of desperation.” He concedes he did have lascivious intent towards the girl.

According to acquaintances at his university art club, “He didn’t come much. He really loved Precure, and often went to Akiba maid cafes, he said.”

Police have so far only managed to turn up “commercial DVDs with scantily clad girls on the covers” from searches of his home and computer, although this seems to be enough proof of his deviance for the media to immediately launch into demands for a new wave of censorship.

The authorities and media have been quick to pin the blame on the evils of anime and manga – one psychologist with no familiarity with the suspect theorises wildly that:

“That he did not act on his urges at the scene and instead attempted to take her home is an indication that he viewed the little girl merely as an ‘object.’

He was acting to fulfill his desires without regard to social norms. Such patterns of thought are normally related to childhood development issues.

There are cases were pedophile games and manga stimulate the desires of such people, and cause them to be unable to distinguish between fantasy and reality, leading to such incidents.”

Online there is some suspicion about the way the case is being handled by the media, although few can deny the creepiness of Precure fans:

“He was a total lolicon, wasn’t he?”

“Here we go – anime was at fault, otaku are to blame!”

“As usual there are all manner of experts on hand who are desperate to blame this on manga and anime…”

“You lolicon are desperate to defend him, aren’t you! Ban that filth immediately.”

“The problem here appears to be his 3D interests, not his 2D ones…”

“Well done to the taxi driver!”

“Stick to watching Precure, freaks.”

“Precure viewers are the ones you should be worried about, not the ones who just watch late night anime.”

“The media have been showing a high school graduation essay of his – they blurred it out, but you can tell he actually had a Korean surname at that time. I thought this was just more fabrication from the right-wingers, but it seems to be true…”

“More lies from the right-wingers!”

“Why did they mosaic out his surname in that report when they have been reporting his ‘real’ name constantly everywhere else?”

“You can see he had a single character surname clearly, so he was almost certainly an ethnic Korean who took a Japanese alias. And why else would they mosaic it?”

“So the mass media gloss over the fact he was one of their beloved Koreans and instead use it as an opportunity to bash otaku.”

“I suspect the media just did anything they could to get the guy to call him an anime fan… a Precure-loving maid cafe goer is like the ultimate otaku stereotype the media loves to bash.”

“Sounds like they are trying to make him out as an otaku to bury the fact he was a Korean.”

“Creepy otaku are as bad as those filthy Koreans.”

“I doubt he was a Korean, the media wouldn’t bash a Korean criminal so heavily.”

“It’s a bit hard to call anyone a lolicon when they are only 20.”

“Ban Precure.”

“Don’t blame Precure, blame all the old guys who insist on watching it.”

“Precure is actually quite good though… even without the characters it’s quite entertaining and the animation is not bad.”

“He didn’t even have his own car – men really are useless without their own car…”

“I think AKB fans are far more likely to display extremes of criminality.”

“Honestly, loli, maids and 2D – all these involve fantasy or partners of inferior status, it’s laughable when men who like these start spouting off about women being bitches or sluts.”

“Precure = it’s an anime for little girls with very little loli content

Maid cafes = ugly girls 2D lovers wouldn’t give a second glance to working as cosplay prostitutes

These are both really on the fringes of 2D culture. It’d have to be Ichigo Marshmallow or something for their criticisms to be valid.”

“You’d think these cases occurred every day from the hysteria the media drums up, but there’s only one case a year or so.”

“They didn’t even get any 2D stuff in the search, what a pity for the media.”

“Suite Precure vs Suite Onacure:”

“Blame lolicon, not games and manga!”

Already renowned for cultivating an audience of creepy old otaku “big friends” alongside its primary demographic of 6-year-old girls with Precure, Toei now looks to have set its sights on furry fandom – their latest offering being a full on furry dakimakura featuring Wolfrun.

The product causing all the fuss is a “long pillow” featuring Smile Precure!’s wolfy villain Wolfrun, with pre-orders opening through Toei’s official online shop at the start of October:

That the pillow is implicitly aimed at kemono-fancying fujoshi and otaku is not in much doubt – other Precure dakimakura are released in kiddie sizes, but Wolfrun is “long,” and also boasts an as yet unrevealed second side on the rear…