There's a ton of anime about escaping to some kind of fantasy world, but anime itself is a form of fantastic escapism for a lot of people. Even mundane settings like a convenience store or high school can leave people wanting to break away from reality. Sometimes, though, people can take that desire a little too far.

A 28-year-old man from Shizuoka City who can't be named for legal reasons went under trial in February for the crime of breaking into at least three nearby high schools and stealing desks, uniforms, computers, an amplifier and a monitor worth ¥80,000 (US$590) in total during the summer of 2021. The trial concluded recently, and it was revealed he moved out of his parent's place after school to become a caregiver in the city. He became a huge Love Live! Sunshine!! otaku and longed to relive his high school days much like his anime waifus. In the end he was found to have stolen 15 desks, half as much as a standard classroom.

He was sentenced to two years' imprisonment with a four-year suspendeed audience. At least nobody got hurt, but strange men shouldn't be sneaking around schools regardless. The Shizuoka District Court Judge reportedly told him "If you want to immerse yourself in a school drama, that’s fine, but the means that you took to do it were illegal. It was a selfish idea that caused a great deal of trouble to many students. Recognize the trouble that you caused and try to live a decent life so as not to commit the same offense again.”