Kyoto Animation Arsonist Withdraws Death Sentence Verdict Appeal
The Kyoto Animation arsonist withdrew the appeal on the death sentence issued by the Kyoto District Court in January of 2024. The trial started in September of 2022. The reason for the appeal withdrawal was not given, but the Osaka High Court announced that the defendant, Shinji Aoba, sent in the request on January 27. There have been situations in the past where the defendant's lawyer in death penalty cases appeals for withdrawal to be invalid, but at this time it is not clear if that will happen here.
NHK quoted the parents of two deceased animators, who both stated they didn't know what the reason for the withdrawal of the appeal was. KyoAni's lawyer also issued a statement, saying that the company was aware of the situation but is waiting to see the resolution before commenting further.
Aoba was sentenced for entering the Kyoto Animation’s Studio 1 building in the Fushimi Ward of Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, on the morning of 18 July 2019 with gasoline and igniting the building, killing 36 people and injuring at least 34. All the victims were employees of the studio and Aoba himself also suffered injuries.
In 2019, his defense team claimed that Aoba had undisclosed mental health issues; he previously claimed that the studio plagiarized his work. He pleaded not guilty and his defense argued that he could not be held criminally responsible. Japan keeps the capital punishment practice and performs around 15 executions per year. Over 100 people are currently on death row.
In July of 2024, the City of Uji unveiled a monument for the victims of the Kyoto Animation attack. The installation was designed by Tokyo University of the Arts students and funded with part of the donations collected after the incident from Japan and abroad. President of Kyoto Animation, Hideaki Hatta, officially donated the statue to the Historical Park of Green Tea and Uji Town. Hatta previously wanted to turn the Studio 1 building into a memorial part, but that initiative was shut down. Among the victims were animators Yasuhiro Takemoto, Futoshi Nishiya, Tatsunari Maruko, and Yoshiji Kigami.
Kyoto Animation, commonly known as KyoAni, was founded in 1985. The studio is known for fan-favorite titles such as K-On!, Free!, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, Violet Evergarden, Clannad, A Silent Voice, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and many more. In the wake of the arson attack and later the COVID-19 pandemic, the release of the Violet Evergarden movie was delayed to July 2020. The studio’s first TV anime project after the arson attack was Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid S, for which the late Yoshiji Kigami was one of the directors.
KyoAni has a new Miss Kobayashi's Dragon Maid project in the works, a movie titled A Lonely Dragon Wants to Be Loved, and an adaptation of Keiichi Arawi's City manga.
Source: NHK
