“Ichihashi girls”: Murderer has female groupies

Convicted murderer and rapist Ichihashi is clearly a sick guy. But what’s worse than killing an innocent British teacher in cold blood in her apartment? Being his groupie.

Yes, at his recent trial in Chiba, just outside Tokyo, Tatsuya Ichihashi (32) attracted groups of female fans every day. The media dubbed them the “Ichihashi girls”. Not sure whether they were there to support, admire or just because they had nothing better to do, but this is a new strain of moe for sure. Ichihashi-moe (市橋萌え)!

According to journalists reporting at the trial, they caught the groupies, aged from twenties to forties, looking over their shoulders at the stories they were writing on their laptops. Swiftly shutting their computers they were then subjected to taunts and complaints from the sick ladies. “What are you doing?! You don’t do anything here to help!” they shouted.

They even had a chant (“I-chi, I-chi”)!

Apparently some girls were tearful when Ichihashi’s life sentence was announced, pledging to wait for him until he was released from jail!

Online there are purikura (photo booth) photos of girls saying they are about to head from Yokohama to Chiba to support their idol, complete with a love heart drawn around his image and messages saying for him to take care of his body!

We’ve come across some strange things in Japan before but this has to be one of the oddest.

Saying that, Ichihashi’s family don’t seem too hard up, so perhaps the girls are attracted by the money. Or is it his androgynous appearance or obsession with physical fitness? The mind boggles…