Kyoto Animation Fire: 33 Confirmed Dead After Devastating Arson Attack on Japanese Animation Studio
The sad and disturbing news broke today that 33 people were killed and many more injured in a suspected arson attack at Kyoto Animation (KyoAni) Studio in Kyoto Japan.
On July 18, at 10:30 local time the three-story building broke out in flames. A suspect is in custody and currently hospitalized after reportedly pouring what appears to be gasoline and setting the blaze.
The fire burned for five hours before fighter fighters were able to extinguish the flames. There were around 70 people inside the building when the fire started. 36 individuals are in the hospital, some in critical condition. With 33 confirmed dead, the Kyoto Animation fire is the largest mass murder in Japan since the Myojo 56 building fire nearly 20 years ago.
Kyoto Animation was founded in 1981 by former Mushi Pro staff. They are known for their groundbreaking work on many beloved anime series and films such as Lucky Star, Clannad, K-On!, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, Free!, Violet Evergarder, A Silent Voice, and more. The studio is seen as the gold standard in the industry for the ethical treatment of workers, with all animators being salaried employees, and high-quality animation.
Fans and industry professionals alike turned to social media to express their grief, sorry, and sympathies, with #PrayForKyoani reaching #1 trending worldwide on Twitter.
Sentai Filmworks has set up a GoFundMe, Help KyoAni Heal, which has raised over $500,000 dollars. Please note that at this time KyoAni has not made any statements requesting financial help or indicating what they may need in terms of support.
