Neighbor's stuffed animals hid dark intent, Japanese manga artist says

An interview with manga artist Shibatama highlighted a true story in which an elderly neighbor forced stuffed animals on a child, hiding harmful intent behind a guise of kindness. The episode, based on a follower's experience, features a family staying with relatives who reluctantly accepted two stuffed animals from a pushy neighbor. Shibatama said it shows danger can lurk in gifts from unfamiliar people. The story appeared in her collection compiling readers' experiences. She compared it to receiving religious pamphlets from a neighbor, noting readers said they were glad no one was hurt and found the situation frightening.