College Student Arrested for Selling Bocchi the Rock! Anime Keychains

Hitori Gotoh’s mundane life and passion for music made Bocchi the Rock! a standout hit in pop culture. The series brought smiles to fans’ faces, motivated introverts like Bocchi to pursue their dreams, and, in one unexpected case, even led to someone’s arrest.

A recent news report from Japan shed light on an unusual incident involving a female university student from Kanazawa City, who was arrested on suspicion of selling unauthorized copies of Bocchi the Rock! anime character acrylic keychains.

The 22-year-old suspect is accused of copyright infringement for purchasing anime character keychains online in mid-May and early June last year and then reselling them on a flea market site—despite knowing they were unauthorized copies.

According to local police, she bought the Bocchi the Rock! keychains for 90 yen each and resold them for 949 yen, making a total profit of approximately 2,500 yen (around $16) from three sales. However, the suspect denied the allegations, claiming she was unaware the keychains were counterfeit.

Netizens believe this case seems exaggerated, as the money involved in the illegal merch sale is negligible. Many expected the police to simply claim the amount rather than take further action. However, the immediate arrest came as a surprise, raising questions about the authorities’ approach.

While piracy site owners responsible for billions in losses roam free, this case saw a suspect jailed for a minor offense. Needless to say, this incident highlights the need for reforms in Japan’s copyright laws.

While police continue their investigation, fans can look forward to Bocchi the Rock! Season 2, officially greenlit by Aniplex and CloverWorks. The hit musical comedy will soon return on screens with a new director and additional staff members.

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Via: NNN News