Anime inspired violence: Man did THIS to 69-year-old, claims that he was fictional character

Viral News: A man who killed a 69-year-old in Auckland might have reenacted an anime scene, raising questions on whether the media can influence violent actions. Gabriel Hikari Yad-Elohim is appealing his life sentence for the murder of Michael Mulholland in 2017, arguing that he was delusional and under the influence of the anime.

The Violent Crime

In a brutal murder, Yad-Elohim attacked Mulholland in the stairs of his apartment. Within seven minutes he killed Mulholland while delivering 90 kicks and stomps to his head. The victim died some minutes after being attacked. Yad-Elohim's defense lawyers claimed in court that the man was not sane because he had schizophrenia; however, it was rejected by the jury.

Anime Inspiration and Legal Plea

There is new evidence that has emerged, Yad-Elohim could be copying the scene of the anime *Bleach* where Ichigo Kurosaki saves souls. Yad-Elohim was known to have delivered a Japanese monologue from the murder that sounds like the one in the show. These points have made the Supreme Court ask if the assailant was hallucinating when they attacked 1,2.

Mental Illness Factors

Yad-Elohim was released from a psych acute inpatient unit about a week before the crime and reportedly suffered from auditory hallucinations as well as visual ones, where he reportedly saw ghosts during this act of abomination. His case fuels fiery debates over psychiatric care and the impact of mass media on its relevance to the already troubled minds. The court judgment would have also provided a landmark case judgment on matters pertaining to the mental condition and influence of mass media in cases.