In Aichi Prefecture, a user of the Anjo City library handed staff a magazine from their periodical racks with a simple question: Where’s Arashi?
Little did they all know that this was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to articles featuring the extremely popular idol group. Further investigation revealed that dozens of books from their library’s archives, including women’s magazines, had been defaced and de-Arashied by what appears to be an obsessive fan.
A final count of 50 publications and 332 pages worth of Arashi-related material had been stolen, leaving other heartbroken fans wondering what Masaki Aiba’s favorite flavor of ice cream is.
▼ The real victims are the many other law-abiding Arashi fans.
The library’s director told media, “Because this is the property of the citizens, I want this to stop once and for all.” The Japanese public was also up in arms over this desecration of public information and some even suggested that this was not an isolated incident.
“I live in a different city, but I too once took out a magazine only to have an article about Satoshi Ohno cut out. This seriously has to stop.”
“Awful…just awful.”
“This was clearly done by someone without a conscience.”
“Completely inconsiderate to their fellow Arashi fans.”
“As both a resident of Anjo and an Arashi fan, I’m embarrassed by this crime.”
“Magazines are so hard to replace too, since they go out of print.”
“If you want it so bad, just buy the stupid magazine.”
Even more peculiar, the person who removed the articles did so with remarkable precision. Articles were carefully cropped with an X-Acto knife and full pages were removed by gently pulling away at the binding. As a result, it would have been very difficult to even notice that the articles had been removed at a quick glance. This was clearly the work of a pro.
It’s an especially unusual crime in this day and age when information, pictures, and even videos of Arashi can be fairly easily acquired over the internet. It’s also especially dangerous, because in the event that a future major disaster wipes out all information except for that which is contained in Anjo City Library, this person will have effectively erased Arashi from history – surely the ultimate sin for any fan.
Source: NHK News Web, Hachima Kiko
Read more stories from SoraNews24.
-- We ask Arashi fans why the boy band is so popular… because we couldn’t figure it out ourselves
-- Concern as hundreds of copies of The Diary of Anne Frank found defaced in Tokyo public libraries
-- Is the year-end Arashi Concert about to go high-tech with facial recognition for attendees?
- External Link
- https://soranews24.com/2018/09/05/police-on-the-lookout-for-arashi-fan-who-stole-articles-about-the-group-from-public-library/
8 Comments
Login to comment
Speed
Just when I thought this was a safe country.
Michael Jackson
He wasn't doing it because he likes Arashi, he's trying to do us all a favor and get rid of them
Michael Machida
This is terrible. Thank you for reporting this. Such an important piece of news.
Michael Jackson
I bet it was one of the Arashi members, trying to breathe some life back into slumping popularity with this sensational news story.
Goodlucktoyou
people damaging or stealing from libraries should not get suspended sentences. at least one year behind bars. libraries are for the whole community. we go every week.
Michael Machida
Police on lookout for Arashi 'fan' who stole articles about group from public library
But you do not have a face to look out for.
shogun36
Which would be a harder thing to admit?
You're an Arashi fan
You're a cop, looking for a faceless individual(s) who apparently stole pictures of Arashi.
You're the person to open this can of worms and actually ask the employee "Where's Arashi?"