Danica Davidson
January 21, 2025 
Kouichirou Itou, an anime producer best-known for working on a number of Makoto Shinkai’s movies, is back in the news because of updates in his criminal trial. Itou was originally arrested in February 2024, almost a year ago, after authorities working on prostitution cases stumbled onto him. He was accused of trying to get a 15-year-old girl to give him nude photos for money. He confessed to the police that this was true, and that furthermore he’s “done it with other people” as well. How many others he’s done it with is unclear.
He’s now facing charges of obscene acts against three different underage individuals. (As of 2023, the age of consent in Japan is 16.) Itou has pled guilty to all charges. This month, the prosecution and defense argued over what his sentencing should be.
The prosecution wants Itou to get six years behind bars. The defense isn’t denying his guilt, but they want him to get a suspended sentence. Suspended sentencing is something more usual in Japan, and essentially it says that if a person behaves themselves during the time period the court decrees, they don’t go to jail.
Itou’s defense is trying to soften his punishment by contending that he’s made some sort of out-of-court settlement with two of the victims, and saying he’ll get counseling. They say that the counseling can prevent him from preying on more girls in the future.
Whatever the Wakayama District Court decides to do with Itou, we’ll know his fate on February 28, when his final sentencing is on the calendar.
Last year, Shinkai spoke up about the situation, expressing concern for the minors involved, saying, “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.”
Source: ANN
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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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