In a chilling case that blurs the lines between reality and fiction, Gabriel Hikari Yad-Elohim, a man convicted of murdering 89-year-old Michael Mulholland in Auckland, may have been acting out a scene from the popular Japanese anime series Bleach. This shocking revelation has emerged as new evidence suggests that Yad-Elohim, who is currently serving a life sentence, believed he was embodying the character Ichigo Kurosaki during the brutal attack.
Yad-Elohim's violent actions in 2017 were horrific; he struck Mulholland approximately 90 times, including kicks and stomps to the head. The forensic psychiatrist involved in the case noted eerie similarities between Yad-Elohim's behaviour and a scene from Bleach where Ichigo Kurosaki, a Soul Reaper, battles evil spirits.
This connection has led to speculation that Yad-Elohim was under a delusion influenced by the anime Bleach at the time of the murder. Yad-Elohim even delivered a monologue in Japanese that mirrored dialogue from the show, prompting discussions about his mental state during the crime.
Categorised as a Visored and Human, Ichigo Kurosaki is a fictional character in the Bleach manga series and its adaptations created by author Tite Kubo. He is the main protagonist of the series, who receives Soul Reaper powers after meeting Rukia Kuchiki, a Soul Reaper assigned to patrol the fictional city of Karakura Town.
A Visored is a former captain- and lieutenant-level Shinigami.
On the day of the murder, Yad-Elohim had gone to Mulholland's apartment building with a sex worker to buy drugs. After being left waiting and subsequently robbed of his money, he confronted Mulholland—whom he had never met before—and unleashed his fury in a seven-minute assault.
The ongoing legal saga now sees Yad-Elohim appealing to the Supreme Court, hoping to overturn his conviction by arguing that he was not in control of his actions due to his belief that he was an anime character. The court has acknowledged this new evidence from Bleach, suggesting it could provide grounds for reconsideration.
Could we be witnessing a case where Bleach transcends its fictional boundaries into real-life horror?
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