Elderly Anime Fan Unsheathes Katana After Being Told to Turn Down TV Volume

There is a lot to love about watching anime. From the stellar soundtracks and vibrant dialogue, the medium has thousands of top-tier titles waiting to be binged. However, that doesn't mean everyone wants to watch your anime with you, and one elderly fan was reminded of that as of late. When a request came in to lower the sound on their TV, the anime fan reacted the only way they knew how...

They grabbed the katana nearest to them and threatened to kill the man who lodged the complaint.

Recently, Crunchyroll shared the unbelievable news after a report went live in Japan from Toyooka City. It turns out an unemployed 57-year-old man was watching anime in his apartment with the volume turned all the way up. With his windows open, the sound carried over to his 50-year-old neighbor who could hear everything.

Naturally, the younger man went to ask his neighbor to turn down the volume, but unemployed 57-year-old was not having it. Reports say the man pulled out an 18-inch replica katana and threatened his neighbor with it. The younger man called the police who took the otaku into custody, but the suspect maintains he never threatened his neighbor with the blade. Currently, the case is ongoing as an investigation into the incident continues. So if you ever get told to lower the volume on your anime, take a moment to remember this story. No show is worth going to jail over, and all of your best girls would agree on that.

While some may be surprised by the police's aggressive response, it should come as little surprise given anime's recent resurgence with criminals in Japan. Earlier this year, headlines went live around the world covering an alleged arson attack on Kyoto Animation. The tragedy left 35 employees dead after a disgruntled fan set fire to one of the company's studios. The attack's survivors have since returned to work while the detained suspect recovers from his own critical injuries. Anime fans were shocked by the event, and further copycat threats have been treated very seriously by local police. Given this history, it is no wonder police were quick to address this incident before any injuries could be incurred.

Are you surprised by this fan's over-the-top reaction? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!