[KineJapan] Arson attack at Kyoto Animation

[Bryan Hartzheim]

This is nightmarish and sickening. The perp apparently doused employees
with gasoline while shouting "pakuri" (what was being ripped off isn't
clear, and is probably not important). KyoAni is known for many beloved
works, but it is also well-regarded in the industry for having the best
working conditions of any major animation studio in Japan, with dozens of
talented animators and directors directly salaried by the studio (as
opposed to freelance contracts). There were apparently 70 people working in
Studio 1 at the time of the attack this morning, and the irony is that a
normal "black company" studio would probably had only a fraction of such
workers (and a fraction of the casualties) in the building during those
hours. Many animators and creators have already gone on Twitter to express
their condolences and thoughts regarding the incident, and some have
confirmed the safety of some of the more well-known directors such as Naoko
Yamada, Tatsuya Ishihara, and Taichi Ishidate. The damage done here to the
studio, to the employees and their families, and to the entire anime
industry for that matter, is considerable.

Bryan Hartzheim
Waseda University

On Thu, Jul 18, 2019 at 5:42 PM Markus Nornes via KineJapan <
kinejapan at mailman.yale.edu> wrote:

> A 41-year old man walked into Kyoto Animation’s building with a can of
> gas, sprinkled the first floor and set it on fire. There were 12
> fatalities, and over 30 people injured (half seriously). The reason is
> unclear....
>
>
> https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/multiple-deaths-arson-attack-at-kyoto-animation-anime-studio-1225232
>
> “Kyoto Animation was founded in 1981, by producer Yoko Hatta and her
> husband Hideaki, has around 160 employees. It has offices in Tokyo and
> Kyoto, as well as a subsidiary Animation Do in Osaka, and is behind
> numerous features and TV Series, including* K-ON!, Violet Evergarden: The
> Movie* and *A Silent Voice: The Movie*.”
>
> Markus
> --
> ---
>
> *Markus Nornes*
> *Professor of Asian Cinema*
> Department of Film, Television and Media, Department of Asian Languages
> and Cultures, Penny Stamps School of Art & Design
>
> *Department of Film, Television and Media*
> *6348 North Quad*
> *105 S. State Street*
> *Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1285*
>
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>
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