A 15-year-old high school student from Tokorozawa, Saitama Prefecture, has been arrested by Tokyo’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) for allegedly orchestrating a cyberattack on Bandai Channel, a prominent anime streaming service. The teenager is accused of exploiting a system vulnerability to cancel approximately 46,800 user subscriptions, leading to a temporary suspension of the service.
Between 5 p.m. and 8:46 p.m. on November 4, 2025, the suspect reportedly transmitted false information from his personal computer to Bandai Namco Filmworks’ servers, the operator of Bandai Channel. This action resulted in the unauthorized cancellation of 46,812 user accounts, compelling the company to halt its services temporarily. The MPD’s cybercrime countermeasure division has charged the youth with obstruction of business.
The investigation revealed that the teenager began learning programming in the fourth grade of elementary school. By analyzing Bandai Channel’s data traffic, he identified a system vulnerability. Utilizing the ChatGPT artificial intelligence chatbot, he developed a malicious program to execute the mass cancellations. Despite Bandai Namco Filmworks implementing measures to block his access, the suspect circumvented these by altering his IP address approximately 30 times, continuing his unauthorized activities.
Bandai Namco Filmworks reported the incident to the MPD in November 2025. Subsequent investigations led to the identification and arrest of the suspect. Notably, the teenager had been previously arrested for unauthorized access to another individual’s account, violating computer access laws.
Bandai Channel, known for streaming popular anime titles like “Mobile Suit Gundam,” faced significant operational disruptions due to this cyberattack. In response, Bandai Namco Filmworks temporarily suspended the service and disclosed that up to 1,366,000 items of personal information, including email addresses, might have been compromised.
This incident underscores the evolving landscape of cyber threats, particularly the role of artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT in facilitating sophisticated attacks. It highlights the necessity for companies to continually assess and fortify their cybersecurity measures to protect against increasingly complex threats. Additionally, it raises concerns about the accessibility of advanced AI tools to individuals with malicious intent, emphasizing the need for responsible usage and oversight.
