Danica Davidson
March 3, 2025 
Anime producer Kouichirou Itou has received his final sentencing. He had been charged with rape, plus breaking laws related to child prostitution and child pornography. He will receive four years behind bars.
Prior to his arrest, Itou was mainly known for producing Makoto Shinkai movies. Then, while police were working on prostitution cases, they inadvertently stumbled upon Itou. He was attempting to a get a 15-year-old girl (16 is the age of consent in Japan) to give him nude pictures of her in return for money. He acknowledged that this was the case to police, and said that there had been others.
His defense, while not denying his guilt, wanted to get him a suspended sentence wherein he would escape prison if he behaved during a specific amount of time. They argued that he had made an out-of-court settlement with two of his victims and he would get counseling.
Prosecutors, meanwhile, argued that Itou should get a six-year prison sentence.
Wakayama District Court’s president judge Keiko Fukushima drew attention to the fact that Itou has been a repeat offender. “As his actions severely harm the mental and physical development of victims who are not mature enough to understand the impact of sexual activities, his culpability is high,” she said.
After Itou’s arrest in 2024, his long-time colleague Shinkai stated publicly, “I was shocked to see the news about the arrest of a person involved in the production of my movies. First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the victims. Also, I am truly sorry for causing anxiety to everyone who loves and supports my work. I personally believe the value of the work will not be harmed by the recent incident, but I think it is natural for it to be viewed with disbelief. That is very frustrating and sad.”
Source: Mainichi Shimbun
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
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