By 
A Taiwanese otaku who helped to stop a knife attack on the Taichung metro has said that he did so because Himmel from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End would’ve done the same thing. He is hoping that his heroic act will help to improve the public’s perception of otaku in Taiwan. [Thanks, China Times!]
On May 21, 2024, a Taiwanese man stabbed several passengers in a knife attack on a Taichung train. He managed to injure three people before over seventeen civilians stopped him. One of them was Ruixian Xu, or “Long Hair Bro.” He even went out of his way to wear a Monster Hunter shirt to accept his reward. Xu refers to himself as an otaku and states that otaku aren’t all bad. He hopes that his act will help convince people of that fact.
Xu also states that “If Himmel was there, he would’ve done the same thing,” referencing the character from Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. He uses this quote as a reminder to do the right thing and a life philosophy. When asked what he would do differently if he could go back in time to the attack, he said he wouldn’t change a thing.
The reference to Taiwanese perception of otaku stems from the 2014 Taipei Metro Attack. This was a stabbing spree that ended in four deaths and twenty-four injuries. As it was the first fatal attack on the subway since it began in 1996, it was a deeply shocking incident for the island. The media and the perpetrator’s parents were quick to blame violent video games for his motivation. Cheng Chieh, the attacker, stated that he liked to play League of Legends and Tower of Saviors. However, the companies for both stated that their games had nothing to do with the attacks.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is available to watch on services like Crunchyroll. Viz Media licensed the manga for English readers.
