In 2006, the anime world witnessed an unusual and disturbing incident involving the series “Inukami!” and a fan who took his frustration to the extreme. It all started when, due to an unexpected change in broadcast schedules caused by a table tennis world championship, the fourth episode of the series, entitled “Preventive Apron!”, was postponed. This change angered one fan so much that he decided to express his displeasure by sending a package to TV Tokyo, which contained a letter of protest and what appeared to be human bones.

The “Inukami Human Bone Incident!”, as it is known today, left a black mark on the history of Japanese television. Back then, broadcast times were crucial for fans, as many relied on a fixed schedule to record their favorite episodes. Any changes, especially due to sporting events like the aforementioned table tennis match, were seen as a major inconvenience for those using pre-programmed recorders.

The incident was summarized by a Japanese blog, which detailed that the match in question, part of the World Table Tennis Championships in April 2006, interrupted the broadcast of the episode "Inukami!" for an hour. This affected the recording of the series, which aired on Thursdays at 1 a.m. After initial investigation, it was discovered that the package contained at least ten bone fragments, measuring between three and four centimeters, which appeared to have been cremated and shipped from Yokohama. Although TV Tokyo officials reported the incident, it was never confirmed whether the person responsible was identified.

These types of extreme reactions, while rare, show the level of passion some fans can feel for their favorite series. These days, instead of sending threatening packages, followers often express their discontent through social media or online petitions. A recent example occurred in 2022, when a fan of “Chainsaw Man” started a campaign asking for a new version of the anime with a different director and voice actors, due to his dissatisfaction with the adaptation.

“Inukami!” is a series based on a light novel written by Mamizu Arisawa and illustrated by Kanna Wakatsuki. The story follows Keita Kawahira, an Inukami (dog god) tamer, who struggles to find one to bond with. Eventually, he connects with Yoko, a beautiful Inukami with an extremely difficult personality. Much of the series' comedy stems from Yoko's jealousy of the other Inukami who show interest in Keita. The anime adaptation, produced by Seven Arcs, aired for 26 episodes until September 2006.

Nowadays, thanks to streaming platforms, fans no longer need to worry so much about broadcast times. Series like “Inukami!” are available on services like Crunchyroll, where they can be viewed at any time, avoiding incidents like the 2006 human bone incident.

Source: Comic resources