Your Name & Suzume Producer To Face 6 More Years In Prison After Kiddie Porn Arrest

Out of the frying pan and into a fire where you’ll possibly be a prison bitch for a while.

Your Name and Suzume producer Koichiro Ito could face six years in prison. Here’s why: he is accused of rape and child pornography, as well as child prostitution. Japanese news outlets NHK News and NTV reported earlier this week that he paid “large amounts of money to more than 100 people, has sexual relations with them, and filmed and collected the footage”. The prosecution stated that Ito misused his financial standing to gain sexual favours from child victims.

Previously on February 2024, Ito was arrested for soliciting explicit images from a minor. He was then taken into custody on suspicion of sexual acts with a 15-year-old girl for money after talking on social media.

The case is still ongoing, as the verdict will be out on 28 February or a later date around that timeframe.

In related news, Your Name and Suzume director Makoto Shinkai previously spoke out on Ito’s arrest.

“I am very shocked to see the news report of the arrest of the person involved in my works. First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest sympathy to the victims. I am also very sorry for the anxiety this incident has caused to those who love and support us. I believe that the value of the work will not be damaged by this incident, but it is only natural that you may feel distrustful. I am very frustrated and saddened by this.”

He will be working on a new anime film project which will be out in 2025, with a new producer for obvious reasons.