Episode Details

Between 1988 and 1989, Japan faced one of the most devastating serial murder investigations in its modern history. Four young girls disappeared from quiet neighborhoods around Tokyo, leaving families desperate for answers and a nation gripped by fear. The investigation eventually led police to Tsutomu Miyazaki, a seemingly ordinary photo technician whose double life would forever change how Japan viewed child safety, criminal profiling, and the growing "otaku" subculture.

In this episode of You Can't Unhear, we follow the investigation from the first disappearance to Miyazaki's arrest, examine the evidence that exposed his crimes, explore the controversial psychiatric evaluations surrounding his "Rat Man" claims, and discuss how this tragic case reshaped Japanese society. Above all, this is a story about the four children whose lives were stolen far too soon, and why their memories continue to matter decades later.