Anime Fan Artist’s Recent Suicide Blamed on “Pick Up Artists”

Chinese artist Rose Machine Gun (玫瑰机关枪) — well-known online for her anime-style fan art — was found dead in late November, in a suicide that has put the spotlight of public discourse on her boyfriend, a member of the seduction or “pick-up artist” community.

The 20-year-old’s tragic death drew condolences from those in the Chinese fan art and entertainment fields. Ex-EXO singer Huang Zitao broke the silence on Weibo, posting the text “Thank you…and farewell” alongside old art that Rose Machine Gun had created for him.

Photo: Huang Zitao’s Weibo

Her passing catalyzed a wider discussion on Chinese social media platforms about the dangers of the pick-up artist (PUA) movement.

“There was a timid sense of innocence in her work. She was still a child with a desire to explore the world while escaping the dark side…She didn’t leave a note to blame others. It was more of deep despair, so stay away from these bad guys,” wrote one Zhihu user, a longtime follower of Rose Machine Gun’s work.

Originating in the US as a set of techniques for men seeking sexual success with women, the PUA community has drawn criticism over themes of sexism and misogyny. Its practitioners often gaslight their targets, a form of psychological control intended to make their (mostly female) victims question their own thinking.

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Wang Rui, a Beijing-based lawyer, responded to the Zhihu question, saying the death is currently lacking a legal basis for assuming responsibility, since the boyfriend’s action “does not have a strict logical causality.”

“The implementer of PUA may not even have guilt, but the loved one is hurt,” he said.

Cover image: Rose Machine Gun