Pre-trial proceedings for the July 2019 Kyoto Animation arson case will begin in May.
As reported by Anime News Network, the pre-trial for the Kyoto Animation arson murder case begins on May 8. At the pre-trial, the court, the prosecutor, and the defense will decide the schedule. specific process and number of days required for the case. The main hearing will take place from early September to late December. The discussion at the pre-trial proceedings will also include any issues and prior evidence.
About the Kyoto Animation arson incident
On July 18, 2019, a 41-year-old man entered Kyoto Animation’s Studio 1 building with 40 liters of gasoline poured onto the studio and several Kyoto Animation employees before setting everything on fire. 70 people were in the building at the time, and the fire killed 36 and injured 33. The two victims include anime directors Yoshiji Kigami, Yasuhiro Takemoto, and Futoshi Nishiya, who worked on Violet Evergarden, K-On! and sound! Euphonium, respectively. The fire also consumed most of the materials and computers in the building, leaving only a small portion of keyframes on display at an exhibition. The suspect admitted he set fire to revenge, accusing the studio of plagiarizing his novel. Subsequent reports refuted the claims as no similarities were found between the perpetrator’s story and any of its works.
A month after the fire, 27 of the 33 injured employees returned to work. The demolition of the Studio 1 building began in November 2019 and ended in April 2020. While there were discussions about building a memorial site, residents from Fushimi ward sent written requests. Bridge did not build it, citing concerns that this would affect the “quietness of the neighborhood.” Starting July 18, 2020, Kyoto Animation released three memorial videos to commemorate the attack.
As one of the most acclaimed animation studios in Japan for its high-quality animation style and sensitive storytelling, a husband and wife duo founded Kyoto Animation in 1985. A notable feature of the workforce in Kyoto is how animators receive their salaries and receive in-house training compared to going to other animation studios that source from freelance animators. Kyoto Animation produced K-On!, Free! Iwatobi Swim Club, A Silent Voice and Violet Evergarden, the latter of which won the grand prize in the novel category of the 2014 Kyoto Animation Awards. As the fire destroyed many studio jobs, several projects Projects that have been delayed include animated Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll. The film honors the victims in the credits.
As of the end of 2019, Kyoto Animation has raised more than 3.3 billion yen to support victims and families affected by the fire.
Source: Anime News Network
