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| Kyoto Animation studio fire: at least 33 dead after arson attack in Japan | Kyoto Animation studio fire: at least 33 dead after arson attack in Japan |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Japan has been plunged into a state of shock after an arson attack on an anime studio left at least 33 people dead and dozens injured in the country’s worst mass murder in nearly two decades. | |
| The perpetrator, who was also injured and has been taken into police custody, walked into the 1st Studio building of Kyoto Animation in Fujimi ward, Kyoto, at about 10.30am. He poured what is suspected to be petrol in multiple areas of the building before igniting it. | The perpetrator, who was also injured and has been taken into police custody, walked into the 1st Studio building of Kyoto Animation in Fujimi ward, Kyoto, at about 10.30am. He poured what is suspected to be petrol in multiple areas of the building before igniting it. |
| The prime minister, Shinzo Abe, called the attack “too appalling for words” and offered condolences. | The prime minister, Shinzo Abe, called the attack “too appalling for words” and offered condolences. |
| There were more than 70 people in the building, which is Kyoto Animation’s main studio. | There were more than 70 people in the building, which is Kyoto Animation’s main studio. |
| About 30 fire engines and ambulances went to the three-storey building after an explosion. Victims were taken to various hospitals in Kyoto. | About 30 fire engines and ambulances went to the three-storey building after an explosion. Victims were taken to various hospitals in Kyoto. |
| The suspect, identified only as a 41-year-old male, was reportedly taken to hospital before being arrested by police, who said he had admitted starting the fire. | The suspect, identified only as a 41-year-old male, was reportedly taken to hospital before being arrested by police, who said he had admitted starting the fire. |
| No motive for the arson attack has been reported and the suspect did not work for the studio. | |
| However, Japan’s public broadcaster said the man had shouted “drop dead” as he set the petrol alight. Other reports said the man had shouted “you ripped me off” as he set fire to the building. | |
| Hideaki Hatta, chief executive of Kyoto Animation, said the company had recently received emails containing death threats. | |
| “They were addressed to our office and sales department and told us to die,” he said. | |
| He added: “I am heartbroken. It is unbearable that the people who helped carry Japan’s animation industry were hurt and lost their lives in this way.” | |
| Emergency calls to the city fire department reported there had been an explosion on the ground floor, while later calls included people shouting: “Help us, the fire is climbing.” | Emergency calls to the city fire department reported there had been an explosion on the ground floor, while later calls included people shouting: “Help us, the fire is climbing.” |
| Images shot from a helicopter for NHK showed smoke billowing from the top floor and fire crews still battling the blaze of the badly damaged building hours after it had started. Fire crews said there might be more people left in the building. | Images shot from a helicopter for NHK showed smoke billowing from the top floor and fire crews still battling the blaze of the badly damaged building hours after it had started. Fire crews said there might be more people left in the building. |
| The fire department said the three floors of the building covered a total of 700 sq metres and that every storey had been damaged by the fire. | The fire department said the three floors of the building covered a total of 700 sq metres and that every storey had been damaged by the fire. |
| Professor Yuji Hasemi, an expert in fire safety and materials at Tokyo’s Waseda University, told NHK that a combination of poor ventilation, an abundance of paper used by artists and the large amount of petrol likely caused the fire to spread too quickly for people to escape. No fire escape stairs were visible in images of the building. | Professor Yuji Hasemi, an expert in fire safety and materials at Tokyo’s Waseda University, told NHK that a combination of poor ventilation, an abundance of paper used by artists and the large amount of petrol likely caused the fire to spread too quickly for people to escape. No fire escape stairs were visible in images of the building. |
| Violent crime is rare in Japan, though it is not unknown. In July 2016, a mass stabbing at a care home by a former employee killed 16 and injured more. In September 2001, a fire at a building in the Kabukicho entertainment district of central Tokyo killed 44. Arson was suspected, but nobody was ever charged, meaning the Kyoto Animation attack is the worst confirmed mass murder in Japan’s post-war history. | Violent crime is rare in Japan, though it is not unknown. In July 2016, a mass stabbing at a care home by a former employee killed 16 and injured more. In September 2001, a fire at a building in the Kabukicho entertainment district of central Tokyo killed 44. Arson was suspected, but nobody was ever charged, meaning the Kyoto Animation attack is the worst confirmed mass murder in Japan’s post-war history. |
| I’m heartbroken seeing what happened to Kyoto Animation. I don’t know what that sick person must have had against that studio to set it on fire, but my condolences to all the hard working employees. I wish you all a safe recovery... | I’m heartbroken seeing what happened to Kyoto Animation. I don’t know what that sick person must have had against that studio to set it on fire, but my condolences to all the hard working employees. I wish you all a safe recovery... |
| Kyoto Animation | Kyoto Animation |
| Kyoto Animation, known as KyoAni, was founded in 1981 by Yoko Hatta, an anime producer. Her husband, Hideaki, serves as the company’s president. KyoAni has produced popular anime TV series and feature films, as well as publishing illustrated novels and manga. It is well known among anime aficionados around the world for its dedication to high-quality production techniques, with a catalogue that includes A Silent Voice: The Movie, K-On!, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Lucky Star. Its company headquarters are in Uji city. | Kyoto Animation, known as KyoAni, was founded in 1981 by Yoko Hatta, an anime producer. Her husband, Hideaki, serves as the company’s president. KyoAni has produced popular anime TV series and feature films, as well as publishing illustrated novels and manga. It is well known among anime aficionados around the world for its dedication to high-quality production techniques, with a catalogue that includes A Silent Voice: The Movie, K-On!, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and Lucky Star. Its company headquarters are in Uji city. |
| Kyoto Animation has a reputation for treating its employees well in an industry infamous for harsh working conditions, long hours and, for junior animators, very low pay. The growth of the genre’s popularity worldwide and increased demand for content from streaming platforms such as Netflix has put even more pressure on the studios at a time when Japan is experiencing a severe labour shortage. Most studios are booked out with projects up to two years ahead. | Kyoto Animation has a reputation for treating its employees well in an industry infamous for harsh working conditions, long hours and, for junior animators, very low pay. The growth of the genre’s popularity worldwide and increased demand for content from streaming platforms such as Netflix has put even more pressure on the studios at a time when Japan is experiencing a severe labour shortage. Most studios are booked out with projects up to two years ahead. |
| Many anime artists are paid on a per-frame basis and tight deadlines make the work gruelling and long hours inevitable. Kyoto Animation bucks the trend by making its animators full-time employees. This allows them to spend more time on each image and create high-quality anime. | Many anime artists are paid on a per-frame basis and tight deadlines make the work gruelling and long hours inevitable. Kyoto Animation bucks the trend by making its animators full-time employees. This allows them to spend more time on each image and create high-quality anime. |
| One of its best-known franchises is K-On!, a comedy about a band formed by high-school girls. It started life as a manga comic book, before Kyoto Animation created two TV anime series that aired between 2009 and 2010. It was also broadcast overseas and released on DVD in the UK. Kyoto also produced a film directed by Naoko Yamada – which followed the girls’ graduation trip to London – that was released at the end of 2011 and grossed ¥1.64bn (£12.2m) in Japan. The film featured a cafe based on the Troubadour in Earl’s Court, south-west London, which has become a popular destination for fans. | One of its best-known franchises is K-On!, a comedy about a band formed by high-school girls. It started life as a manga comic book, before Kyoto Animation created two TV anime series that aired between 2009 and 2010. It was also broadcast overseas and released on DVD in the UK. Kyoto also produced a film directed by Naoko Yamada – which followed the girls’ graduation trip to London – that was released at the end of 2011 and grossed ¥1.64bn (£12.2m) in Japan. The film featured a cafe based on the Troubadour in Earl’s Court, south-west London, which has become a popular destination for fans. |
| A Silent Voice, also by Yamada, which dealt with childhood suicide, was hailed by critics and fans when it was released in 2016. Although overshadowed at the time by Your Name, whose director Makoto Shinkai lavished praise on it, it still took £29.4m ($33m) globally. | A Silent Voice, also by Yamada, which dealt with childhood suicide, was hailed by critics and fans when it was released in 2016. Although overshadowed at the time by Your Name, whose director Makoto Shinkai lavished praise on it, it still took £29.4m ($33m) globally. |
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