Kyoto Animation posted a 10-minute commemorative video on Sunday to mark the second anniversary of the arson attack on the Studio 1 building that killed 36 people and injured 33 others in July 2019.
The video is not available for embedding but can be viewed by clicking here. The video is only available to view on July 18 Japan time.
In the video, the company explained that it is posting the video in lieu of an in-person event due to the ongoing pandemic. The video observed a minute of silence, and then presented a message about how the lives of those who were lost still have a great presence for the studio, and how the studio is holding the memories of those who were lost with great affection, not forgetting. even for a second, and move on.
The remainder of the video featured messages from the victims’ families, current staff, and those who worked with the study, but the messages have no credited individual names.
The video ended with a note from Kyoto Animation stating that it will continue to make works, and through those works, the studio hopes to express its feelings of passion and hope for the future to all.
Kyoto Animation has again asked that fans not go to the site of the attack out of consideration for the other people in the neighborhood.
On July 18, 2019, a devastating fire broke out in Kyoto Animation’s Studio 1 building. A total of 70 people were inside the building at the time. In addition to the victims inside the building, a man in his 40s who was on his way to work in the area suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation.
Kyoto Prefecture Police arrested the then 41-year-old suspect who allegedly used gasoline to start the fire, and they are investigating the case as arson. The man allegedly bought 40 liters of gasoline in two cans and used a cart to transport the gasoline to Kyoto Animation’s Studio 1 building. Last December, Japanese prosecutors formally charged the man suspected of causing the fire.
Demolition work on Kyoto Animation’s Studio 1 building concluded in April 2020. The studio began recruiting again in July 2020.
Kyoto Animation is one of the most respected animation studios of all time. Kyoto Animation Co., Ltd. often abbreviated KyoAni (京 ア ニ, Kyōani), is a Japanese animation studio and light novel publisher located in Uji, Kyoto Prefecture. Kyoto Animation was co-founded in 1981 by married couple Yoko and Hideaki Hatta; became a corporation in 1985 and a corporation in 1999. The studio maintains a distinct, high-quality style by keeping a team of salaried entertainers on staff (rather than relying on freelancers).
Source – Kyoto Animation’s YouTube channel via Animenewsnetwork
