noun
pyromania; pyromaniac
Refers to the psychological condition or a person with an uncontrollable impulse to set fires. Often used in clinical or news contexts.
彼は放火狂の疑いで逮捕された。
He was arrested on suspicion of being a pyromaniac.
放火狂は精神疾患の一種と見なされることがある。
Pyromania is sometimes regarded as a type of mental disorder.
放火魔 is a more colloquial and sensational term for a serial arsonist, often used in media. 放火狂 is more clinical and emphasizes the psychological aspect.
Compound of 放火 (ほうか, 'arson') and 狂 (きょう, 'mania' or 'madness'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the word follows a common pattern for naming psychological conditions.