Between March 2016 and April 2017, Makoto Oya used iron traps to capture stray cats around Saitama Prefecture. He subjected the animals to horrific abuse, including using gas blowtorches and scalding water, leading to the death of nine cats and severe injury of four others.

In one emblematic piece from mid-2021, a black cat navigates a shelf of books. There is no narration, no laughing track, only the ambient hum of a refrigerator and the soft thud of paws on paper. The tension isn't "will the cat fall?" but rather "look how perfectly the cat fits." It turned the viewing experience into a meditation. For a global audience still navigating lockdowns and uncertainty, these videos offered a masterclass in existing in the present moment. They were visual ASMR.

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: He pleaded guilty in November 2017 to charges of violating animal protection laws. He was eventually sentenced to 21 months in prison, suspended for four years. Why "2021" Might Be Linked

The lenient sentence in the Oya case is often cited as the catalyst for Japan's 2020 legal reforms

Despite the trial concluding in 2017, online searches for "Makoto Oya Cat Videos" surged significantly around 2021 for three primary reasons: 1. The Expiration of the Suspended Sentence

The Lasting Impact of the Makoto Oya Cat Video Case: Lessons in Animal Welfare and Online Responsibility

. While Oya was arrested and prosecuted years prior, the year 2021 marked a significant turning point in public discourse, as activist groups and internet users fiercely campaigned online to prevent the re-uploading of his dark web archive and successfully lobbied for harsher penal codes for online animal abuse. Who is Makoto Oya?