The horrible deaths are shocking and heartbreaking - my condolences to their loved ones and co-workers. I'm thinking too of those who survive this arson attack with severe burn injuries who now face long painful hospitalizations, and lifelong pain, disability, and disfigurement - their lives devastated.
A terrible tragedy - for the victims and their loved ones - and for Japan, a great wound to the beautiful city of Kyoto.
11
We used to associate senseless acts of violence to movies and video games and now the internet. Mass murders are definitely on the rise that some say are triggered by the hopelessness and despair that people around the world are suffering in the gig economy.
Whether you agree or disagree with this narrative today is a sad day for mankind.
9
...and yet, Japan has one of the strictest gun control laws but Japan is not immune.
5
Horrific - nobody needs to be advised of that though. However this does prove that firearms are unnecessary to accomplish mass murder. Flammable liquids are part of virtually everyone's daily life. What should Japan do - ban gasoline, nail polish remover, paint thinner, or spirits stronger than 80 proof?
Humankind has a problem when people feel justified somehow do do these kinds of things. It numbs the soul to think about all of the families whose loved one will not return home tonight.
5
My heart goes out to the staff and families. I hope that whatever come from this horrible tragedy--safety improvements and other preventive measures--will help ease the grief and loss.
5
One quick update. Hideaki Hatta, one of the co-founders of the studio, said on the news that the company had received emails warning of something bad happening.
14
Myles's comment is close, but not quite. If you were properly loved and cared for by your parents/caregivers, and your life does not turn out as planned, it is not possible for you to take on the mantle of victim-hood and slaughter others.
People, from all walks of life and from around the world, are in denial about one basic truth, which is that: an enormous number of parents abuse their children, both emotionally and physically, and these children, usually the abused boys, go on to harm others. The rest of us just abuse drugs, alcohol, or ourselves.
Of course these murderous men feel impotent, isolated, angry and ultimately become radicalized. Look closely at the family of origin. There is almost always neglect and abuse. Our brains do not form properly with this type of history.
Alice Miller wrote an entire book about the militaristic child-rearing practices that created the smiling, murderous next-door Nazi neighbors of Nazi Germany.
I am all for #metoo, but the real problem is child abuse and neglect, and extreme narcissistic parenting. The Newtown, CT shooter's mother abused her troubled son in the same way all narcissistic parents abuse their children.
When will the world wake up, and teach in school what most of us will never learn at home - which is the true meaning of love and care. It's to our collective benefit.
26
@dga-Sorry for what you have suffered and thank you for providing such an important and intelligent analysis. Worth noting that Canada's Seeds of Empathy and Roots of Empathy program is taught in all schools, I believe. It's helping to teach empathy, connection, respect, and care. We and other countries need to make offering this training in our schools a national commitment.
12
@dga "I am all for #metoo, but the real problem is child abuse and neglect, and extreme narcissistic parenting."
Surely both problems are real and can be addressed?
9
I am at a loss for words. It’s extremely sad and heartbreaking that such a horrendous attack was perpetrated on innocent people at their place of work. A creative studio where ideas came to life became place of death where people were burnt to death.
I was in Kyoto with my son exactly last Thursday. We were on a short to visit to Japan and visited Tokyo, Kyoto and Hiroshima. We had a lovely visit and a had great time. My son is a huge Nintendo fan and we went by their development center and head quarters to take photos. We also visited the famous Buddhist and Shinto temples in beautiful Kyoto. Both of us loved the cities we visited and the Japanese people. They were helpful polite and kind. Our deepest sympathies to the families who lost loved ones and wish a speedy recovery to those who were hurt in this inhuman attack.
33
My condolences to the victims and their loved ones. I heard from my mom who heard about this through Mandarin-language media that supposedly the distraught arsonist was screaming something about being robbed. At first I thought perhaps he thought KyoAni stole his idea. But I guess it could just as likely be he was distraught over an unhappy ending in one of the storylines.
11
NHK news reported that the man who was caught also said “pakutta” accusing Kyoto Anime of possibly stealing something from him. Maybe an idea or a character?
The same report also mentioned that the doors to the studio were unlocked and that anyone could access the building.
Regardless this is not the way to seek revenge. Sad morning in Japan.
15
@YukariSakamoto, the building they were using must have been cramped beyond belief. And the general safety that we live in doesn't require a city-wide 24-hour lockdown.
5
The only thing that really surprises me is that this sort of thing does not happen more frequently in Japan. The place is social and professional pressure cooker for any normal human being.
12
@Frank J Haydn, how long have you lived here?
12
not sure that is appropriate to say now
9
Not really the time to criticize. Let Japan and anime fans everywhere have a chance to grieve.
4
As oft it may be repeated, I must reiterate that this event is not simply a tragedy to only fans of Japanese anime, but an event that shatters Japan as one its darkest crimes in postwar history.
There was an incredible amount of malice demonstrated in today's calamity. The arsonist knew the limited escape routes in the building and deliberately lit gasoline in those areas. In addition, hearing about the 19 who tried to escape to the rooftop but were unable to open the doorway especially broke my heart.
Today the global animation industry and Japanese culture as a whole faced incredible losses. It's my hopes that we can unite in solidarity and support KyoAni as much as they did for their fans whose lives have been so thoroughly enriched and entwined with all of their beautiful hits that shaped the Japanese anime industry forever.
53
Beautifully expressed sentiments. ありがとう。
14
What has happened in Japan? Suddenly they are becoming US east with all the public mass attacks.
1
This is not accurate. The amount of violent crime is nowhere near comparable. Both by statistical comparison and the experience of daily life, Japan is a much safer place.
12
Just one quibble. When will the English speaking world go back to identifying a problem as a problem rather than the euphemistic word “issue”?
It’s a complete misuse to use the word “issue” to describe a mass killer or a murderous arson, as someone with “issues” when it’s so obviously a serious mental problem.
22
This breaks my heart to hear how innocent people, who were just trying to have a fun time had to go through such a devastating experience. They just wanted to enjoy the “art” and “culture”, but instead they experienced terrible flames and scares from the arson. The real question is why would someone want to watch innocent people suffer? It’s sad to think that they will never see their friends or families again, just because someone else felt the need to take their lives for no apparent reason. Not only did he take many peoples lives, he made a place that once felt very safe and secure, feel not so safe anymore. He also destroyed beautiful artwork that people used to go to and enjoy, but now when they see it, they’ll only see ash and think of the terrible things that occurred there.
25
This reminds me of the Upstairs Lounge fire in New Orleans back in 1973. Someone targeted the bar by throwing flammable liquid on the staircase leading to the bar upstairs. The windows were barred like they are on the ground floor of this building. There was no compartmentation , like fire walls, enclosed stairwell, fire doors, etc. so the fire and smoke spread quickly.
8
I love KyoAni - my heart breaks for them, and I sincerely hope that there's a fund set up to help the survivors & familes of the deceased.
It's too soon to know, so I'm curious why the connection was made to hikkikomori - it could just as easily be a case of workplace violence.
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@Girl on the IRT There's a GoFundMe set up by Sentai Filmworks, who have distributed many of their works.
18
@cym Until Sentai explains where those funds are going, I'll wait for the actual victims/studio to set something up.
8
@Girl on the IRT While true that it could have been workplace violence, I'd imagine that with someone in custody who seems to have started the blaze, that by now we would have heard if he had a current/former connection to the company....
10
What a horror. It demonstrates, once again, that mass murders are not exclusively committed with guns. I'm 100% in favor of strict gun control, but we must also focus on the problem of mental illnesses that lead to horrific crimes like this one. It's harder to solve but so much more important.
76
@janeqpublicma I'm glad you are for gun control, but one can't even begin to equate the levels of murders by gun, vs those by 'arson'.
Clearly the world as a whole needs to do better in de-stigmatizing mental health issues and the seeking of treatment, and providing better access and care. Sadly, I don't see that happening anytime soon, do you? In the meantime, do folks really have a 'right' to multiple weaponry and/or certain types of weaponry (assault weapons), certain 'accessories', and unlimited ammo with no questions asked? We regulate cars better than we do guns.
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@janeqpublicma
While I was thrilled to see you point out that violence doesn't require a gun..
You then backed it up with vilifying the mentally ill. *facepalm*
Being mentally ill doesn't mean you are homicidal anymore than owning a gun means you are going to go out and kill people.
Blaming the mentally ill is a slippery slope. Are you going to lock us all up as a preventative measure? Ignore our human rights and force us to take medication that may or may not work for us and may have horrible side effects? We've spent decades trying to overcome the stigma of these illnesses and lead normal lives. It's been nearly 30 years since the Americans with Disabilities act was passed and yet most businesses will not hire (or will fire) anyone who is different.
Stop trying to put people in boxes. Gun owner. Mentally ill. Conservative. Liberal. Progressive. White. Colored. Homosexual. Transsexual. Jew. Christian. Good. Bad. These boxes don't help people or society.
People are people. Everyone really is different. That man committed a horrible crime and murdered people. But that doesn't mean that someone who shares similar traits or background will do the same.
36
@janeqpublicma people who are living with mental illness are no more likely to commit violent crimes than the general population. They are, however, vastly more likely to become victims of crime.
31
What horror! I worked for many years for a Japanese company, have traveled throughout the country and love and admire most aspects of Japanese society. After the savagery of WW2, Japan today IS one of the safest and most peaceful nations on earth. I do believe, however, that underlying this peaceful demeanor is a small and mostly dormant but nonetheless malignant tinge of deep discontent that on rare occasions like today manifest themselves in outburst of extreme anger and violence. The causes run deep and are highly complex and I imagine that today’s perpetrator snapped at his hostility to what he may have viewed as a society with a stringent code of conduct that he could not conform or adapt to. I feel great sadness for the victims and hope that whatever the causes might have been which led to this massacre will be confronted straight on and dealt with as openly and honestly as possible. Japan is a land that excels at many things but dealing with mental illnesses with compassion and not shame has vexed the country in the past.
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Japan and its urban centers have a long, tragic history with fires. The Edo period saw hundreds of fires, including the famous Great Meireki Fire, which killed upwards of 100,000 people. These fires claimed unimaginable numbers of lives, dispossed many others, and crippled parts of Japan's economy.
Much of the modernization efforts of the Meiji Restoration focused on the fire-proofing of cities and towns. They did away with paper lanterns and adopted firefighting methods like the ones used by their contemporaries in France and Spain.
Though many of the Edo-period fires were caused by natural events and spread by clustered, dangerous living conditions caused by an utter lack of urban planning, intentional arson also played a huge role.
These recent events may re-open some old wounds. It is clear that Japan must examine what it is in their culture that causes their rates of arson to be much higher than practically all other developed nations.
9
@Drew E
This article reports that "Arson is rare in Japan." International comparison data seems to refute your claim that arson is higher. If I am reading Table 7 correctly, overall incidence of fire deaths in Japan is 1.3 per 100 000 population, compared to 1.0 in the USA; 6.9 in Russia; 5.3 in Ukraine; 7.5 in Belarus. I cannot see data on "arson" categorized in this report on fire statistics.
https://www.ctif.org/sites/default/files/2018-06/CTIF_Report23_World_Fire_Statistics_2018_vs_2_0.pdf
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@Drew E
I lived in Japan for 20 years. Arson is very, very rare in Japan. Rare enough that any case is guaranteed to make the evening news.
Edo fires were a long time ago and totally unrelated. Saying that a recent criminal arson event will open old wounds is like saying that old wounds will be opened for people in Chicago when there is an arson there.
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@Drew E
That's why the photos of Nagasaki and Hiroshima after the atomic bomb blasts show such total lack of a remaining structure. Their buildings were made of wood and paper. Same with the extreme destruction caused by the fire bombing of Tokyo.
5
While it's unclear if it's related to this fire, "the phenomenon of Japan’s “hikikomori” — adults who are extreme recluses — and their psychological issues" is a problem everywhere. In the depth psychology literature this is sometimes approached through psychological grounding.
Generally speaking, grounding refers to the reference points we use to anchor our worldview. We must be grounded in reality, or else descend into chaos and delusional thinking. This may take the form of an altered train-of-thought, where cause-and-effect involves agency: a projection involving God, demonic influence or alien being, or perhaps a conspiracy against the individual (paranoia). Stated another way, grounding keeps everybody from going psychotic, especially when they are surrounded by extreme chaos and confusion.
Common methods for grounding include intimate conversations with a friend, analyst or priest, or a philosophy to anchor your worldview (such as a religious belief or the scientific method).
This came up again this past week in a podcast with Jungian analyst Margaret Klenck, who said: “It isn’t safe if you don’t have things to ground you in your life. It doesn’t mean you have to be in an analysis, though I’d highly recommend it of course.” (15:37)
Cite:
London, Laura. Margaret Klenck, (Ep. 46), Speaking of Jung, July 16, 2019. From: www.speakingofjung.com
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@W "Generally speaking, grounding refers to ...."
Enough with the "generally speaking." The story was "specifically speaking" about a crime in Kyoto.
6
@W Westerners learn a few things about Japan in the news -- and what they do learn fits a very particular, very limited view of Japanese society. And yet, whenever Japan hits the media in the US, we trot out these same few "fun facts" as if they were in-depth sociological explanations of Japanese crimes. (Of course for our own crimes we refuse all such culture-wide explanations where possible.) It IS unclear that hikikomori is related to this fire -- so why are you bringing it up?
16
The dark side effect of amazing technology is isolation. Why go out when you have online friends and entertainment? Remember the reclusive guy who shot up the naval yard? He was the American version of hikkimori.
14
The phenomenon of “hikikomori,” adults who are extreme recluses and who have psychological issues, is not a uniquely Japanese phenomenon. There are many mori such people in this country who, unlike their counterparts in Japan, have easy access to guns and other convenient tools of mass murder.
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@Jay Orchard
Have you seen any reporting that the perpetrator was a hikikomori?
26
@Jackie Lee ~
Jay Orchard didn't say that "the perpetrator was a hikokomori," nor did his comment insinuate that the perpetrator was hikikomori. Rather, he merely made the point that we have our own versions of Japan's hikikomori, but that ours "have easy access to guns and other convenient tools of mass murder."
In short, Jay Orchard is surely making an excellent point here in this context.
25
@Jay Orchard
Interestingly, many of the hikikomori in Japan spend their time watching and discussing animes. Is that something that is pertinent to the arson at the Kyoto Animation Studio? Stay tuned.
7
So just a confirmation of what the pro 2nd Amendment supporters have been contending for years. No guns in Japan--the wackos will kill people no matter what. The largest mass murder in the U.S. (168 deaths and 680 injuries) was done with a fertilizer bomb. The only safety for an individual is one they create for themselves by making informed smart decisions. Leaving bars alone at 2 AM is a way to get mugged or raped. Staying home and having a quiet drink listening to music is the safe decision. That being said the people in Japan were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.
5
@Jonathan
actually, in Japan, leaving a bar alone at 2 AM (or any other time) is pretty safe, except for the risk of a businessman puking on your shoes. Walking around Stockholm or Amsterdam at 2 AM is also pretty safe.
I always worry for each new crop of foreign students going to school in US cities, unaware that they're at risk of being held up, raped, or otherwise attacked, if they travel on foot in the small hours of the night.
26
Banning guns will not end mass murders. Nor will better mental health. Nor will anything known to man. But we can try to reduce the likelihood as we are able to determine. Is reasonable—not frantically doing anything but considerately.
In any case, guns played no part in this, nor did any implement intended to be a weapon.
5
@Jonathan
This story has zero to do with firearms, yet firearms are the first thing you think about upon reading it. That shows just how obsessed you are with them.
3
So, it seems that mass murder is often triggered by psychological problems. And I thought it was all about guns.
8
@Larry Yes, as long as you keep ignoring statistics, guns will never be any part of the problem.
59
@Larry
You thought arson was about guns? Really?
More than 40 people just died. Why make that about yourself?
46
Psychological problems Isolation Guns = Nothing Good.
21
Crazy murderous rage. The man used the means he could find to commit a heinous act. I doubt anyone imagined that he might do this. Very sad that all those people were killed and injured.
2
It is obviously a tragedy and one wonders what was the motive.
I am not a fan of anime but am a strong proponent of art and freedom of expression.
What a world...
1
It was only a matter of time before another mass murder was committed with a flammable liquid. In a country with strict gun control, it can still happen.
Guns are irrelevant, even the Yakuza avoids them.
3
My point is it can happen at any school, and ‘assault weapons’ are irrelevant
@Casual Observer
Not true.
1
How the devil is someone allowed into a commercial building with a can of gasoline and given time to splash it around inside?
3
The problem is fundamental and incurable, for we are fundamentally savage and aggressive hunting and gathering creatures who have been either blessed or cursed with intelligence. We've learned that our level of comfort and security are vastly increased if we can learn to live and work together in communities.
Sometimes it doesn't work very well.
7
His motive is that he believed the studio had ripped off his work.
1
Mental illness and violence doesn't know borders or culture. It unfortunately can happen anywhere and at anytime.
Thoughts and prayers to the folks in Japan.
5
Time to outlaw flammable materials, right? Some Lefty is going to note the increase in deaths because of fossil fuels.
2
I can't stand anime, but this is a terrible incident. Condolences to the victims and their families, and it would seem appropriate for the authorities to fry the guy that did this.
1
My heart goes out to all affected by this tragedy. Sharing stories and such beautiful art with the world... sigh. Domo arigato gozaimashita.
6
They've created so many wonderful anime. My heart goes out to them. What a horrible thing.
9
It is hard to believe that such a terrible act was perpetrated in a community that I care about. My condolences go out to the families who have lost their friends and loved ones.
3
Well, this is saddening news. I'm sure I've watched many of their shows since I was a kid. Hearing that this sort of violence was visited upon people who work to entertain others is just... revolting.
3
Horrifying. Their work has inspired so many and will live on.
3
I woke up to this news this morning. My heart still hurts. My granddaughter used to tell people, when she was two, that her name was Clara Tokyo. We thought she really believed that. When she was in middle school, she taught a class on Anime. Every time I see Anime, or any reference to it, it makes me happy because I know how much joy it brings her. I still can’t believe this happened. And I know I’ll never understand it.
17
I've grown up with anime and to this day I'm still a huge fan of all of Kyoani's work, as anime in qhas a special place in my heart that traditional books, movies and music can rarely reach. I really don't have any words to describe how I feel.
41
Guns are not available in Japan like they are here. Otherwise these hideous mass murders would most likely involve guns with the potential for many more deaths. Still, no matter how these crimes are perpetrated, they are horrible and my heart goes out to those so terribly burned.
29
@Liz While guns indeed make it easy for madmen to murder large numbers of people, you should realize that the worst massacres did not involve firearms. Take the Oklahoma City Bombing (150) and the Nice truck attacks (86). Neither of these attacks involved a single shot fired yet proved to be far deadlier than any single shooter mass shooting in history.
2
@Liz
Instead of focusing on guns which have nothing to do with this why don't you only share that this makes you sad or you might add to the dialogue of what the actual problem is which is mental illness. Without people running around who have little or no self control from committing horrible acts then baseball bats, knives, gasoline, guns, plastic bags etc. wouldn't kill anyone.
3
When you remove guns, especially semi automatic ones) it lessens the frequency and the casualties.
Just the facts!
8
Heartbreaking and yes, a devastating loss of talent and culture.
16
Just changed my lockscreen to 'violet evergarden' this morning. Devastating news. This is pretty much the 9.11 of anime industry.
16
@Kai.
9/11 comparison, really?
1
Heartbreaking ... horror beyond imaging. I would have liked to see English language translations of the Japanese tweets inserted in this story.
15
Men, mayhem, murder. It's so sad, this daily perpetration of violence.
33
@Region Valdez
We live in a very violent world. We are all animals. We may be at the top of the foodchain, but we're still animals.
"...said the police planned to question him further after he told them he had splashed flammable liquid near the studio building and set it alight."
Perhaps they are quoting what he said but it's obvious from the video that the flammable liquid was splashed inside the building.
5
My condolences to the people of Kyoto and Japan. I hope the surviving victims can recover. I love Japan (and anime) dearly. I hope the studio can come back from this.
24
It's the same all over.
1. Man feels impotent and isolated.
2. Man gets angry.
3. Man radicalizes online, getting even angrier.
4. Man finds violent outlet for his "revenge."
5. Innocents suffer and the world pretends it's a mystery why.
This is a structural cost built into economic systems where success and happiness are subject to scarcity and those who fail to achieve it live with stigma.
If guns were easily accessible in Japan (or in most other countries), we'd see a lot more of this. By contrast, we Americans make sure our disturbed people get their guns, and with them, their "revenge."
343
@Myles
Nailed it. Exactly what I had hoped to express when I opened this comment section to type.
Until we address the hopelessness of competing up, from the bottom, in our competitive world, this is just going to continue. And now it's worse with the internet and social media... we're bombarded with images of a world we'll never know... and when we figure that out, some of us don't handle that very well.
42
@Myles
Totally agree. I would add the insatiable pursuit of happiness, enshrined in our Declaration of Independence, a fire now spread worldwide by 24/7 advertising. The pursuit of madness would be a more accurate description.
18
@Myles do you have proof we would? Studies?
2
Some of my favorite anime. This was not deserved.
17
Deeply saddened by this tragedy. I just watched "A Silent Voice" on Netflix last week and was charmed by it. Anime has long been a voice for a generation not only in Asia, but worldwide. RIP Kyoto Animators. And can we all please stop perpetuating the hate, ignorance, and spite that is the fuel and justifier for these henious acts of selfish evil?
18
The article said nothing about fire escapes or sprinklers. Did they have them? Were they working?
52
@sjs
I thought the same thing. The guy had the forethought to burn the front door area. I wouldn't be surprised if he did the same to the secondary door and turned off the water just before he went inside.
My sons, fans of anime since childhood, have long spoken about the kinds of abusive work environments that animators both in the US and in Japan experience. To a certain degree, their status as "only artists who should be happy to have work" and how introverts tend to be drawn to such work makes them targets of exploitation, wage fixing, abusive work environments, extreme hours, low pay, and other conditions that contribute to what Americans know as "going postal". My son ultimately decided to avoid animation and game design programs due to such bleak prospects.
20
I believe it was a studio known to be good to its employees. An outlier, perhaps, but worth noting.
47
yet animation work has been that way since its invention, unless you were the one beating the staff and making the bank deposits. and we know game development to be even worse. but why is your son's bright moment relevant to this tragedy? i saw nothing in the article that even hinted at a disgruntled employee...
10
@Multimodalmama
This is true generally, but not of this studio.
https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/feature/2015-12-02/what-makes-kyoto-animation-so-special/.95559
https://blog.sakugabooru.com/2018/08/25/the-evolution-of-kyoto-animation-a-unique-anime-studio-and-its-consistent-vision/
16
How awful to happen anywhere, but especially KyoAni, one of the few anime studios that treats its employees well, and that has made such heartfelt and poignant art. Praying for the victims, their families, and their coworkers.
158
Such insanity... And what a blow to such an acclaimed anime studio. Heartbreaking.
My heart goes to the victims, their families and the people of Japan. Be strong.
13
What a senseless waste. I can’t imagine how the families of the victims must feel. I wonder why the building doesn’t appear to have fire escapes?
11
@Noah I find it shocking that a country where building codes for earthquakes are so strong would have a building like this where so many could be trapped.
9
Broke my heart when saw the news last night. I don't watch anime that much anymore but KyoAnime is one of the studios I still remember because of their high quality work. Hope the passed away rest in peace and the lived carry on.
12
I wouldn't be surprised if he specifically targeted Kyoto Animation, either for the attention or because he had a vendetta against the studio. They're known to be one of the few animation studios in Japan that treat their staff well and for their high quality content, but a vocal minority of their fanbase is very toxic, as is the case for pretty much anything with a large following. A few years ago they did a show called Free!. While it wasn't their first show to get a female following, it was their first show specifically aimed at women. Said vocal minority was not pleased to say the least.
110
@mar
I wouldn't be surprised that you don't know what you are talking about.
You should stick to your praise and condolences and leave the rest to local law enforcement.
2
Those poor people inside! Oh, my God.
52
Clannad is one of the best visual novels I've seen. I feel terrible for this studio.
16
How tragic - I hope the victims' families find solace after what I'm sure will be a long period of mourning.
I hope friends and colleagues lend support and love to the people affected by this tragedy.
I hope the person responsible is brought to justice and any appropriate changes to building codes and inspections happens quickly to ensure buildings are equipped to deal with this kind fire.
21
My heart aches for the animators. KyoAni is my favourite studio, they've made and continue to make quality anime that have brought so much joy in my life. May those perished rest in peace. This is such a huge tragedy and loss.
123
This is heartbreaking. Kyoto Animation has a great reputation in the anime industry, as they pay their animators well (they focus on quality, not quantity of frames).
162