Lawyers Propose Murder Suspect Was Imitating a Scene from Bleach During Trial

In 2017, the case of Gabriel Hikari Yad-Elohim, a 36-year-old man, captured global attention after he was sentenced to life in prison for the brutal murder of a 69-year-old man, Michael Mulholland, in Auckland, New Zealand. The nature of the crime was particularly shocking, as it deviated significantly from typical murder cases, raising questions and concerns among the public.

Recently, revelations have emerged suggesting that Yad-Elohim drew inspiration from the renowned anime series Bleach. His legal team argues that there are striking similarities between the assault and scenes featuring Ichigo Kurosaki, the series’ protagonist.

Yad-Elohim’s Defense: An Attempt to Recreate a Bleach Episode

Details About the Scene Unspecified

The Supreme Court considered the video and the transcript of a monologue that Yad-Elohim had delivered in Japanese in a police interview room.

-New Zealand Supreme Court.

On that fateful night, Yad-Elohim attacked Mulholland on the staircase of their apartment complex, delivering an astonishing number of over 90 blows that tragically resulted in the victim’s death. Following his arrest, Yad-Elohim’s defense team sought an insanity plea, citing his previous schizophrenia diagnosis.

While earlier arguments for an insanity defense were dismissed, new evidence now supports the idea that Yad-Elohim was experiencing a schizophrenic episode during the assault. Psychiatrist Dr. Cavney provided an analysis indicating that Yad-Elohim’s behavior exhibited striking parallels to scenes from Bleach, particularly those involving Ichigo Kurosaki, a character who embodies a powerful yet conflicted warrior.

This theory gained momentum when a police video surfaced, showing Yad-Elohim speaking in Japanese the day following the murder. However, the specific scene or episode he was allegedly attempting to replicate has yet to be identified. Notably, New Zealand’s Supreme Court has stated that the footage and its potential connections to the anime will be crucial to future rulings, given that the evidence appears unaltered.

This incident isn’t an isolated one, as Yad-Elohim had previously displayed signs of believing he was an anime character. Witness testimonies suggest he had experienced hallucinations, reported seeing ghosts, and had claimed to be the protagonist of a Japanese television show. As of January 15, 2025, no further verdicts have been released, but these new developments are poised to significantly influence the ongoing case.

It’s essential to recognize that while Bleach has garnered attention in this context, it is neither the first nor the last anime series to be implicated in criminal behavior. However, one must remember that the anime itself, including Ikigo’s quest and the creative genius of Tite Kubo, should not be held accountable for Yad-Elohim’s actions.

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