Our condolences to those injured and killed in Akihabara today. The blogosphere is ablaze with news; I’m not sure where to begin linking sources. In short, 25-year-old Tomohiro Katou (now arrested) ran over random innocent pedestrians with his truck in Akihabara, Japan, and stabbed 10-20 others with a 12-inch knife after leaving the truck. He had no other reasoning than letting out his frustration at the world.
“I came to Akihabara to kill people. It didn’t matter whom I’d kill.”
As some have already said, why not just kill your own self then? You get to end your so-called miserable life faster and don’t have to alarm anyone else in the process? But I guess when your state of mind degrades that much, you develop this warped sense of justice or “misery loves company” where, if the world has become sickening, it must be true for everyone else. And so you take it upon yourself to execute a great plan to demonstrate your feelings to the world.
Meh. This is unlike children attacking their parents with axes. The seven people who died had absolutely nothing to do with this incident except for being at the wrong place at the wrong time. =( My thoughts to their families, and I hope all this news would deter any other psychotic attempts to “hate the world.”
Sources and Coverage: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, with more by the hour…
Those lost today…
- Katsuhiko Nakamura (male, 74 years old)
- Kazunori Fujino (male, 19)
- Kasuhiro Koiwa (male, 47)
- Naoki Miyamoto (male, 31)
- Takahiro Kawaguchi (male, 19)
- Mai Mutō (female, 21)
- Mitsuru Matsui (male, 33)
Mainstream news sites should be picking this up. Look for YouTube links of Japanese news broadcasts, too.
I wonder quietly if most of us are ablaze about the news because it’s Akihabara and not any other place in Japan. Of course a crime like this is terrible no matter where in the world you are, but are we a bit partially concerned about the collateral damage? This is Akiba, the otaku capital of the world. Like others, I’m wondering: what if this killer has anime figures in his room? What about those who are injured? Will this damage the industry or the overall open and bustling culture of Akiba?
…Perhaps it won’t. About the killings that delayed Higurashi and School Days episodes, those news stories were soon left behind with the rest of history, no? Sadness.
~Crisu
That’s the guy
This is pretty incredible stuff. I found this blog on a friends blogroll and today is the first day i’ve checked it out. Kind of morbid news and very disheartening. Thanks for the report.
I’m sure that in the following days, more will be found it about whether he had anime things in his house or not. If it turns out he was, this may do more harm again to the stereotype, as other prolific murderers and kidnappers have been similar.
Unfortunately, it’s more likely to encourage copycats then deter them. u.u I can’t believe someone would be so messed up though.
I guess this ruins the mood, but do you still remember the information I asked for?
Stuff like this… depresses me.
But that this will inevitably be sensationalized and used, likely by both sides… that sickens me.
It’s a tragedy, people died. Why can’t we, as humanity, just leave it at that and let them rest in peace, rather than disrespect them and cause them to become fodder for some inane tirade?
I suppose that’s the kind of question that no one can really answer, but I have the sudden urge to give humanity a metaphorical kick in the head.