In an act that seems to have come straight out of an anime, a brave passenger named Xu Ruixian (許瑞顯), became a hero after confronting an armed assailant on the Taichung subway. in mid-May. During the recognition ceremony hosted by Taichung Municipality, Xu cited the anime franchise “Sousou in Frieren (Frieren: Beyond the Journey's End)”: “If it were Himmel, he would have done it too.“This courageous act and its touching quote quickly went viral in Japan, earning praise from numerous anime fans.

At the recognition ceremony yesterday (June 4), Xu Ruixian expressed that doesn't consider himself a heroand that his reaction was instinctive, motivated by the desire to minimize casualties.”If it were Himmel, he would have done it too.“, Xu quoted, referring to the popular Japanese anime.

The repercussions in Japan were immediate. Several online media outlets reported the incident and the name “Himmel” became a trending topic on Twitter in Japan. Even the official account for the manga “Sousou no Frieren” posted an image of the main character, Frieren, saying the same phrase quoted by Xu. The post attracted a large number of fans who praised Xu's heroic act.

• “This is what the hero Himmel would have done.“.

Additionally, the video interview with Xu Ruixian published by NOWnews received numerous comments from users in Japan, South Korea, and around the world praising his bravery. Some of the most prominent comments include: “You are also a hero who saves people!“, “You are an example for otakus, a true hero of Taiwan.“, “Thank you for giving us otakus a good reputation.“, and “Hope you recover soon! Cheer up, Taiwan hero!“.

Xu Ruixian's courageous act not only saved lives, but also united communities from different cultures in a common cause: admiration for bravery and selflessness. The influence of media and popular culture, such as anime, shows how fictional heroes can inspire real people to perform heroic acts in critical situations.

Source: Otakomu