Nevada-tan is a meme that first appeared on the Japanese imageboard 2chan in 2004 and quickly gained popularity. The character Nevada-tan, who was based on Natsumi Tsuji, is the inspiration for the meme.
Natsumi Mitarai was killed by Satomi Mitarai, a classmate of Natsumi’s at the age of 11 (at the time). On June 1, 2004, a murder took place at the school where Natsumi was a student and was killed. In the middle of the night, Natsumi killed Satomi with a stylus while alone with her.
Natsumi returned to her classroom in her bloodstained clothing after killing Satomi and then confessed to the crime. The incident happened at a Sasebo elementary school in Nagasaki Prefecture, which is where the victims were educated.
Reaction to a murder and the revealing of one’s identity
The event was covered extensively by the press throughout the globe. The event was initially covered internationally on June 3, 2004, when an item about it was published in the BBC News. This was the beginning of the worldwide coverage.
Japanese legal processes limit the identity of juvenile criminals; hence, the girl’s true name has not been revealed, and she has been referred to as “Girl A” by Japanese police.
Despite attempts to keep the girl’s identify a secret, her true name was disclosed just a few days after the event occurred. When Fuji TV broadcasted some of his paintings on the national network, they accidently uncovered his true identity.
The kanji () that appears in several of the photographs was created by the young lady who signed her own artwork. When the kanji is romanized, the name Natsumi Tsuji is written. The identify of the perpetrator of the crime was therefore determined.
When Natsumi was taken into jail, she acknowledged to the crime. The murder was motivated by a website she had built, which served as the foundation for the crime. The Red Room is a flash game that serves as the basis for the material.
The popular Japanese film Battle Royale inspired a fanfiction, which can be found here. Natsumi’s physical appearance was allegedly criticized on her website by Satomi, who is said to have made disparaging remarks about her.
Attempts to evaluate Natsumi as an adult were unsuccessful, and discussions regarding her age and criminal culpability ensued. Natsumi was eventually sent to the Nagasaki Family Court. She was subsequently taken into custody and placed in a juvenile facility in the Tochigi prefecture. Natsumi was first made available to the public in 2013. She was 20 years old when she got released from prison.
There is no conclusive proof that 2chan members sought to divulge the identify of the young lady in question. Yet, despite this, it has become a worldwide craze on the internet and a cultural icon.
It was later given the moniker “Nevada-tan” by 2chan users. “Nevada” was given to him because of the sweater with the word “Nevada” on it that he wore during the murder. Aside from that, “-Tan” is how a kid might pronounce the honorific “-Chan.”
Following that, the media brought notice to the fact that a kid had killed another youngster, which was exceptional. Many posts on Natsumi’s website, as well as on the themes of blood and death, have received a large number of comments.
Eventually, an incredible number of fanarts were created, with the majority of them depicting a charming picture or moe that looked similar to Natsumi. Nonetheless, blood is always smeared over the page and a pen is held in the other hand. These drawings may be found on a number of websites that provide information on the meme.
Outside of Japan, Nevada-tan is becoming more popular
The habit of generating fanart was not limited to the Japanese internet. It was also popular in other countries. Following the event, a slew of websites began to feature the girl as a subject of discussion. They paid Natsumi some kind of homage in some way.
It was stated in June 2005 by the online retailer that sold the Nevada University hooded sweatshirt (which Natsumi may be seen wearing in images and fanart) that it was the best-selling item on the site. After a few weeks, the sweater was no longer available for purchase via the university’s store.
