#Kyoto Animation arson attack

[saotome-michi]

Today is the 4th anniversary of the Kyoto Animation Arson Attack, which killed 36 people and injured 33. Please spare a moment to think about the victims today.

Yasuhiro Takemoto, 47 (director of Lucky Star, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya, Hyouka)

Futoshi Nishiya, 37 (character designer and chief animation director on the Free! franchise, A Silent Voice, Liz and the Blue Bird; animation director on The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya (2009), Kanon)

Yoshiji Kigami, 61 (mentor of Kyoto Animation; worked as a storyboard artist, unit director and animator on most Kyoto Animation works; key animator on Akira, Grave of the Fireflies, Space Adventure Cobra)

Junichi Uda, 34 (key animator on Hyouka and Nichijou — My Ordinary Life)

Sachie Tsuda, 41 (finish animation on Free! — Iwatobi Swim Club, Pokémon 3: The Movie: Entei — Spell of the Unown, Hyouka)

Mikiko Watanabe, 35 (art director on Amagi Brilliant Park, Beyond the Boundary; background artist on many Kyoto Animation productions)

Yuki Omura, 23 (new hire at the studio, no credits yet)

Yuka Kasama, 22 (new hire at the studio, no credits yet)

Ami Kuriki, 30 (key animator on Liz and the Blue Bird, Violet Evergarden, Myriad Colors Phantom World)

Keisuke Yokota, 34 (production manager over many Kyoto Animation works)

Nami Iwasaki, 31 (key animator on many of KyoAni's works such as K-On, Suzumiya Haruhi)

Atsushi Ishida, 31 (in-between animation on many KyoAni's works)

Norie Oto, 26 (Finish Animation)

Megumu Ono, 21 (new hire, no credits)

Yumi Kaneo, 22 (new hire, no credits)

Seiya Kawaguchi, 27 (in-between animation for Violet Evergarden the Movie and Sound! Euphonium the Movie)

Sumire Kusano, 32 (key animation for Liz and the Blue Bird, etc)

Aya Sato, 43 (in-between animation for many KyoAni works)

Kota Sato, 28 (animator on Free S2, Sound! Euphonium, Violet Evergarden)

Sana Suzuki, 30 (key animator for many of KyoAni's works)

Hiroyuki Takahashi, 48

Miho Takechi, 25

Tomoka Tokimori, 22

Maiko Nishikawa, 29

Takahisa Fujita, 27

Kana Matsuura, 24

Tatsunari Maruko, 31

Atsushi Miyaji, 32

Yuko Myoken, 29

Shiho Morisaki, 27

Sayaka Watanabe, 27

Chitose Murayama, 49

Kojiro Matsumoto, 25

[animebw]

Remember that fire that killed 36 people at Kyoto Animation?

Well the Japanese courts have sentenced the arsonist to death

Source 1: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-68090388

Source 2: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/25/world/japan-kyoto-animation-arson-death-penalty.html

Opinions?

Geez, of all the things to wake up to on vacation...

Look, I am nowhere near informed enough on the Japanese justice system to discuss all its nuances and issues without making a fool of myself. But I will say this: Kyoto Animation is still my favorite anime studio, I respect their work so much, I still remember the horror of learning about this attack through social media in real time, watching the casualty numbers tick up, the awful gut-wrenching realization of just how bad this was, the culprit is human scum who deserves to spend the rest of their life in prison...

But he shouldn't be put to death.

Flat out, governments shouldn't be in the business of killing criminals. Even monsters like him. It's too much power and way too easy to abuse. And it's easy enough to say "Well, boo hoo, he deserves it after what he did," but what happens when the next person sentenced to death was wrongfully convicted, or might have been able to repair the damage they did or turn their life around? Or, god forbid, if a government grows so corrupt that it starts using that power to exterminate anyone it deems undesirable?

If we accept capital punishment as necessary, we're saying that there's a certain group of people that don't deserve the right to live. And no matter how you try to control the borders of that group- "Oh it's just for mass murderers/rapists/treasonists/etc!"- you cannot guarantee that the system will only ever judge fairly. You cannot guarantee that innocent people won't be put to death because of some oversight or intentional misuse. Do you know how many people in the US alone have been executed only to have their names cleared after death? And knowing how intense Japan's legal system is, I can't imagine their track record is spotless either.

Bottom line: the death penalty isn't a power governments should have, no matter how gruesome the crime. I won't mourn this bastard's death, but I won't celebrate it either.

[beardedmrbean]

A Japanese man has been sentenced to death for an arson attack at a Kyoto animation studio in 2019 which killed 36 people and injured dozens more.

The incident, one of Japan's deadliest in recent decades, killed mostly young artists and shocked the anime world.

Shinji Aoba, 45, pleaded guilty to the attack but his lawyers had sought a lighter sentence on grounds of "mental incompetence".

Judges rejected this however, ruling that Aoba knew what he was doing.

"I have determined that the defendant was not mentally insane or weak at the time of the crime," Chief Judge Masuda said on Thursday at Kyoto District Court.

"The death of 36 people is extremely serious and tragic. The fear and pain of the deceased victims was indescribable," Japanese broadcaster NHK reported him saying.

Many of the animation staff - young artists - were killed after being trapped on the upper floors of the studio as the fire spread.

The attack was one of the deadliest cases in recent decades and sparked national mourning in Japan. The country's public and media have followed the case closely.

How many countries still have the death penalty?

Prosecutors had demanded the death penalty for Aoba, saying he was motivated to attack the studio after believing his work had been stolen. He said Kyoto Animation - known as KyoAni- had plagiarised a novel he entered into their contest.

In July 2019, he burst into the studio during a work day, splashing petrol on the ground floor and setting it alight while repeatedly shouting "Drop dead".

He later said during his guilty plea in September 2023 that he did not think so many people would die.

"I felt I had no other option but to do what I did," he said at the time.

"I feel tremendously sorry and the feeling includes a sense of guilt."

Aoba himself suffered burns to over 90% of his body in the fire, and was only arrested after he had recovered from operations.

"The delusion that KyoAni Studio had plagiarised his work influenced his motivation," prosecutors had told the court.

But they said he was not controlled by such delusions and had full capacity and understanding of his actions.

On Thursday, the judge read out a lengthy reasoning with victim testimonies before announcing the verdict. More than half of the animation studio's 70-strong workforce was killed in the event, and another 32 injured.

"Some of them saw their colleagues engulfed in flames, and some of them are suffering from psychological effects, and they are tormented by feelings of guilt and remorse," said Judge Masuda.

Families of the victims were seen in the court room, with many visibly emotional as the judge read out the details of Aoba's crime, NHK reported.

The outlet reported that Aoba kept his head bowed as the judge read out the death penalty sentence.

Japan retains capital punishment for its most serious crimes, like multiple murders. Those convicted typically remain on death row for years, or even decades. The death penalty is conducted by hanging.

The KyoAni studio in Kyoto is a beloved institution, known for producing films and graphic novels that are well-regarded by fans as well as critics - including K-On! and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya.

[radhuynhhterf]

Japan: Man sentenced to death for Kyoto anime fire which killed 36

[beautifulpersonpeach]

I remember on your old blog you gave amazing film and book recommendations. I might be pushing it here but do you watch anime by any chance? If you do can you give some recommendations?

I absolutely adore your blog. You very nice, keep going. 💋💋

**

Hi Anon,

This is such a cool ask! 💜

I spent some time in Japan for grad school and watched a fair bit of anime then. Many of the shows I watched have remained favourites till now. It's been a while since I checked out anything so my recs might be a bit dated, but these are animes that feel evergreen for me so I hope you like them too.

In no particular order:

3-gatsu no Lion OR March Comes in Like a Lion

It's a chill slice of life anime based on a manga by Umino Chica. It's a bit of a slow burn but I think a beautiful story unfolds the more you watch.

*

Hunter x Hunter

This one is a classic but such a feel good option. They don't make villains like Hisoka anymore.

*

Haikyuu!!

This one is another classic (and a favourite anime for jikook going by that RUN BTS episode 138). The chemistry between Hinata and Kageyama is so fun to watch!

*

Terror in Resonance

I'd describe this story as dystopian, Black Mirror-esque. A better expression of that trope than whatever The Promised Neverland ended up being. It's got an interesting soundtrack too, a bit different from the rock-heavy opening sequences typical of anime. Jungkook also seems to be a fan of one of the artists on the soundtrack, but this one is my favourite.

*

Food Wars

I like food. I like anime about food. And if you like food and don't mind random foodgasm-induced nudity, this is the anime for you. :)

*

Kaichou wa Maid Sama

This is a shoujo anime in a school setting. The manga is infinitely more interesting than the anime, but I found Misaki and Takumi's story to be the cutest thing the first time I watched/read it. I still think so years later. (And in case you've never been to a maid cafe before, trust me when I say you absolutely have to visit one. Yes they do actually act like what's in the anime, yes they do actually give you bunny ears and fancy omurice with complementary performances, yes their clientele is mostly middle-aged men who should be home with their wives and kids, but also working women, school-aged kids, grandmas... it really is an experience).

*

Sound Euphonium

This is one of the best anime series made by Kyoto Animation in my opinion. Many of the people who worked on the series unfortunately passed away in the 2019 arson attack. Please consider giving their work a watch. The art style is incredible, the story - about a music club in a school - is heartwarming.

*

Kids on the Slope

It's about jazz, not-so-subtle homoerotic energy, and teens coming of age.

*

Psycho Pass

More dystopian classics. The first season is really enjoyable for me. It kinda holds up in the second season and falls off in the third. But it's still a fun watch. :)

*

Akatsuki no Yona

A romance shoujo anime with a fierce protagonist and a colourful cast of supporting characters. A win for me.

[himehalcyondays]

Arson Responsible for the Deaths of 36 Victims in Kyoani Fire Sentenced to Death

(X)

[Image ID: Screenshot of a tweet by username @MangaMoguraRE with text and an image of the Kyoto Animation logo attached. Text reads, "The Culprit behind the "Kyoto Animation" Arson Attack from 2019 that killed 36 people has been sentenced to death by a Kyoto district court." Below reads, "Image copyright Kyoto Animation." /.END ID]

Source (The Japan Times on Twitter)

[indielightuk]

Anime Review: Hyouka

Hyouka is a Japanese anime series, which was produced by Kyoto Animation, an animation studio and light novel publisher noted for producing The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, A Silent Voice and Violet Evergarden. It was directed by Yasuhiro Takemoto (noted as the director of various anime including Full Metal Panic! The Second Raid, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, The SoulTaker and Violet Evergarden) with overall series composition by Shoji Gatoh (noted for his work on Full Metal Panic, Amagi Brilliant Park and Cop Craft) and character design by Futoshi Nishiya (noted for his work on Inuyasha, Full Metal Panic, Haruhi Suzumiya, Amagi Brilliant Park and Sound! Euphonium).

Before we move on, I would like to note that sadly, Yasuhiro Takemoto and Futoshi Nishiya, both passed away in an arson attack on the Kyoto Animation building on July 18th 2019. Their contributions to anime and manga will not be forgotten.

click here to read more

[kaitothefirst]

May 23- Kyoto Animation

Today was another free day where I fulfilled a long-held desire to visit an anime-related location in Kyoto. I felt that, even though there is pretty much nothing to do but take pictures of the buildings, it was almost a personal duty to see the Kyoto Animation studios in person. Although I was definitely excited, as Kyoto Animation has consistently produced by far my favorite anime series in the past, there was simultaneously a tone of melancholy about today. The arson attack at their first office building from a couple years ago took the lives of so many individuals that I had admired very much. I used to watch the behind-the-scenes videos on the DVD extras for Kyoto Animation series for hours, in which the producers would show how they travel to certain on-site locations to learn more about the subject matters of their anime. Despite this, it was still an amazing feeling to see two of their studios right outside of Kohata Station along with many other fans who also had their cameras out. It reminded me of how Kyoto Animation even depicted characters of their own anime, Lucky Star, visiting their studios during the show’s Kyoto class trip episode. As Apple Maps was being relatively difficult again, looking at these studios pretty much took up my entire morning and early afternoon after I pursued the wrong location a couple times. It was still very nice to get out of the busy sections of Kyoto and finally consistently count on the train not being packed. I later headed over to Bookoff and confirmed my suspicion that the best used anime/manga merchandise stores are in Japanese cities smaller than Tokyo. At least in terms of the media that I enjoy, this place had it all. I had been looking for the Lucky Star manga for a while now, and I was so surprised that they actually had it. I even bought the Future Diary manga, which I was previously taking pictures of at the manga museum. In the end, I bought so many things that the employee was having trouble fitting them into one of the large 5-yen bags. Afterwards, I pretty much just went back to the hotel, bought dinner, and started my daily work. Although today was a rather chill way to spend my free day, I was satisfied to see the location in which some of my favorite media of all time is created. I also finally got to do the serious anime merchandise shopping that I didn’t manage to get done in Akihabara.

[meetgrub]

My reaction to Kyoto Animation arson attacker sentence to death by hangin

[tigertoramaru]

A Japanese man has been sentenced to death for an arson attack at a Kyoto animation studio in 2019 which killed 36 people and injured dozens more.

The incident, one of Japan's deadliest in recent decades, killed mostly young artists and shocked the anime world.

[freequizbank]

Man faces death penalty for 2019 Japan studio arson _ FreeQuizBank.com - Free Exam Practice Questions for LANTITE Numeracy, Mathematical Reasoning - OC, Selective and Scholarship Tests @acereduau #NSWeducation #AusEdu @AusGovEducation @ServiceNSW

[vprogresseducation]

Man faces death penalty for 2019 Japan studio arson _ FreeQuizBank.com - Free Exam Practice Questions for LANTITE Numeracy, Mathematical Reasoning - OC, Selective and Scholarship Tests @acereduau #NSWeducation #AusEdu @AusGovEducation @ServiceNSW

[ranmagender]

Seems the person responsible for the kyoto ani arson attack has been sentenced to death by hanging.

Im not big on the death penalty, i think its cruel and causes a lot of issues.

I probably will not shed tears for Shinji Aoba though, what he did was abhorrent and caused the death of 36 people.

At least that closes the book on this sad story

https://x.com/Anime/status/1750383692764021082?s=20

[eclectic-insights]

Shinji Aoba, the culprit of Kyoto Animation arson attack in 2019, has been sentenced to death by the Kyoto District Court http://dlvr.it/T1rV0m