Japanese teen arrested for cyberattack that unsubscribed over 46,000 anime accounts

Japanese authorities have arrested a 15-year-old high school student in Saitama Prefecture on suspicion of orchestrating a significant cyberattack against an anime streaming service. The incident, which occurred on November 4, 2025, targeted the Bandai Channel, operated by Bandai Namco Filmworks. According to police, the student allegedly employed a program developed with the assistance of the generative AI chatbot ChatGPT to infiltrate the company's servers. Between approximately 5 PM and 8:45 PM on the day of the attack, the student is accused of sending false information that led to the unauthorized cancellation of 46,812 subscription accounts. The disruption partially impacted the company's operations on November 6, with full service only restored in December after system repairs. Police believe the student exploited a vulnerability in the service's system to gain fraudulent access to account information. The student reportedly admitted to the allegations, stating his self-taught computer skills enabled him to access the information without any specific grievance against the company.

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I started using computers when I was in the fourth grade and taught myself everything I know. I happened to be able to access the information and had nothing against the company.