TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 21-year-old man from Kyoto City for allegedly threatening to kill the director of the popular animation “Kemono Friends,” reports the Yomiuri Shimbun (June 3).
On April 22, Fukuta Kishimoto, of no known occupation, allegedly wrote on an internet bulletin board, “I will kill [him] by stabbing [him] with a knife. I will feed his meat to cannibals. I will set fire to the [production company] office.”
According to the Shinjuku Police Station, Kishimoto used the name of the director, aged in his 30s, in the post. Production of the series was temporarily disrupted due to the incident.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of making threats and disruption of business, Kishimoto admitted to the allegations. “I have a personal grudge against the director,” the suspect was quoted by police. “I actually had no intention to harm [anyone].”
Police are now investigating whether Kishimoto was behind similar online death threats made to a voice actress for the series, Yui Ishikawa, and a staff member for another production company. Those threats included: “I will kill your family via arson” and “I will stab [you].”
Kyoto Animation incident
The matter recalls an incident from last year. In July, Shinji Aoba, 42, allegedly set fire to Kyoto Animation’s studio in Kyoto City’s Fushimi Ward, killing 36 people.
Last month, police took Aoba from a hospital, where he received treatment for extensive burns over his body, to a police station in Kyoto face charges of murder and arson.
