Issei Sagawa

[Miranda]

"I think everyone has a curious fantasy. But they can't realize it, that's all. My fantasy of cannibalism is not crazy. Everyone has fantasies. The special thing about me is that I acted out mine." Issei Sagawa

True-Crime has always been interesting to me because of the psychological element. All men have the propensity to kill. Throughout history cannibalism practices have been somewhat common place. Serial murderers such as Andrei Chikatilo, also known as the "Russian Ripper", Edward Gein, Albert Fish, and Richard Trenton Chase also known as "The Sacramento Vampire" have incorporated the eating of human flesh into their death trip.

Issei Sagawa was a Japanese student studying in Europe. He was somewhat of a child prodigy, enjoying Impressionist paintings and reading famous writings as early as the age of 5. His life changed when he decided to have a classmate over for dinner, literally. Issei was a product of wealthy parents with influence. He would have not been received the slap on the wrist he got if it was not for the financial backing of his father. Issei was granted asylum to Japan and is free today, he has been free for quite some time. He is the author of many books and is a well known icon in Japan.

In 1981, Renee Hartevelt was attending the same University in Paris as Issei, she was 25. She supported herself by teaching languages. Issei contacted her about some German lessons he would like to have. He offered her exceptional pay for her tutoring services.He invited her over to his apartment, in his eyes he was going to declare his love for her, unfortunately she dismissed his humble advances. Issei asked her to please read poetry to him, as she complied he then shot her in the back of the neck, killing her instantly.

Issei would go on to write a novel titled "In The Fog" while he was incarcerated in a mental hospital in France. In Issei's writings he was quite descript and matter of fact about what transpired the evening of her death and his cannibalizing of her body. Before he consumed parts of Renee's body he performed necrophilia on her corpse. He went on to describe cutting off Renee Hartevelt's nose and breast and eating it raw. " I touched her hip and wondered where I should eat first.After a little consideration, I ate right from the center of the abundant ,bouncing part of the right hip... I took a knife and when I stabbed it went right in. When I started cutting, I could see some corn-like yellow stuff.

I thought it was probably a white woman's own peculiar and thick and soft fat. Beyond that I could see a red color, it looked like beef, red meat... a little came out and I put it into my mouth. It had no smell or taste, it melted in my mouth like raw tuna in a sushi restaurant." Issei took photographs as he dismembered Renee. Saving pieces of her flesh in his refrigerator , later frying it with salt & pepper and adding mustard. At his trial, Issei was confident that the wealth and power of his influential parent's would help him get out of his situation.It would take almost 1 and a ½ years for a judge to decide that Sagawa was mentally incompetent to stand trial.

It pays to be rich, and his father, Akira Sagawa, president of Kurita Water Industries in Tokyo, eventually worked out a deal in 1984 to have Sagawa transferred to the Matsuzawa psychiatric hospital in Japan. The superintendent there believed that he was sane and ought to be in prison. Sagawa remained there for only 15 months before he was granted his freedom in August 1985, again, thanks to his father and very much against the advice of the superintendent. After murdering a woman and consuming her remains, Sagawa was able to go freely about in society only five years after the crime. He was also at one time even granted a passport to return to Germany. He would often go on television talk shows. He also appeared in several Japanese pornographic films, and he wrote four novels in total.

"In The Fog" went on to sell over 200,000 copies. Sagawa has always enjoyed being the focus of tabloid media, granting interviews and making videos to indulge the voyeuristic curiosity of those who want to get closer to someone who has eaten human flesh. He does not feel that he did anything wrong. "The public has made me the godfather of cannibalism," he stated, "and I am happy about that." He also wrote a weekly column for a tabloid publication, edited an anthology of cannibal fantasies, and was featured on the cover of a Japanese gourmet magazine.

By Miranda

[brandywine0880]

Wow. That terrified/amazed/shockedme. I'm bout to google that crazy fucker.