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As the "Demon Slayer" juggernaut continues full steam like the infinity train its smash hit film is named after, fans are having a hard time keeping up with the flood of merchandise based on it. Playing your "Demon Slayer" Tamagotchi in one hand with your life-sized "Demon Slayer Nichirin" Blade in the other while dying your hair "Demon Slayer" purple and eating a "Demon Slayer" okonomiyaki leaves little room in the bank account.
Perhaps that’s why one 35-year-old fan in Kyoto was arrested on Nov 16 after convenience store security cameras caught him tearing open packages of "Demon Slayer" character key chains before purchasing the one with his favorite.
Like many anime-themed trinkets and figures of this kind sold in convenience stores and supermarkets, packages often randomly contain one of six or so types which the purchaser cannot know until opening. In this case, there are 10 different key chains each with a different character.
The incident occurred at about 10 p.m. on Oct 8 in Kamigyo Ward when the construction worker allegedly entered the store and proceeded to break open three of the paper packages one by one and left the damaged goods, valued at 660 yen each, on the shelf.
After police tracked him down, he told them he did it because he was looking for his favorite character, Shinobu Kocho.
Online readers were naturally offended that a grown man with a paying job would stoop to such childish lows.
“What a naughty man.”
“Just buy it. dude…”
“Come on, you can just hold them up to the light, or feel around the edges.”
“Is Demon Slayer so popular even with construction workers? I thought only fujoshi were into it.”
“That’s not very heroic.”
“He likes Shinobu?! Gross!”
“I’m really worried about society when a grown man commits crime to get anime toys.”
“Just buy it, and if it isn’t the one you want, sell it online. This isn’t hard.”
If there is a defense to be made for this vandal, it’s that charging 660 yen for a flat piece of plastic and a chain, and not even letting people choose the one they want, is a little dubious as well. Sure part of it is the excitement of the random draw, which is the foundation of the entire capsule toy industry, but maybe lower the price a bit if that’s the case.
Sources: Kyoto Shimbun, Itai News
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
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-- City in Japan receives donation for kids with letter signed by two ultra-popular anime characters
- External Link
- https://soranews24.com/2020/11/23/kyoto-man-arrested-for-opening-packs-of-demon-slayer-key-chains-until-finding-one-he-wanted/
14 Comments
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Gobshite
Man? At what age do people grow out of kids things here?
kurisupisu
The problem with capitalism is the demon ‘greed’ which is difficult to slay...
Mickelicious
This whole buying things blind in the hopes of getting the one you want is a perennial rip-off and encourages over-consumption.
Hurrah for this eco-warrior and (unconscious) champion of consumer rights!
StevieJ
Japan really loves gambling so much that gacha is part of everything.
mph-1212
Well thats funny, im the same age as this guy. My 10 year old daughter begged me to take her to go see this movie, and of course had to get one of these mystery key chain things too. Except we paid for ours.
Kumagaijin
Sounds like he wasn't into gambling his money away. I mean, whether its toys, key chains or baseball cards, these companies are just training kids to gamble, take risks, until they get something they want or something with intrinsic value. It could be worse though. Its not like he was digging through cereal boxes or chip bags with his bare hands looking for the prize.
Paul
Like the comment in the article, I am bemused by the fact that grown man and a builder at that, would be buying something like that. Unbelievable.
Michael Machida
Why can't the customer get what he wants?
Mocheake
I don't get it.
Goodlucktoyou
They still haven’t “tracked down” the person who robber my house even though I told them her name and address.
i feel my robbery was in the wrong box.
starpunk
He's 35 years old and he has to open these packs up in order what will 'complete his set'? C'mon, man. He needs a better hobby than this. And didn't his mother teach him better than this?
This guy needs another hobby and he needs to get a life.
shogun36
I agree. Not just for people like the guy in the article but for parents with kids and kids themselves as well. Blame the companies for trying to rip off people, not the consumer who have grown tired of it.
Stewie
A construction worker? With what.....Lego.