「京アニきょうアニ」放火ほうか事件じけんから6年ろくねん今日きょう スタジオ跡地あとちで追悼ついとう式しき

The arson attack on Kyoto Animation’s studio, which left 36 employees dead and 32 others injured, marks six years on the 18th.

At the site of the former studio, bereaved families and related parties will attend a memorial ceremony.

The bereaved family said, No matter how many years pass, the sorrow of losing our daughter does not change.

On July 18, 2019, Kyoto Animations Studio 1 in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto City, was set on fire, resulting in the deaths of 36 employees and injuries, both serious and minor, to 32 others.

Shinji Aoba 47, who was charged with crimes such as murder and arson, was sentenced to death at the first trial in the Kyoto District Court in January 2024 and had appealed the decision. However, since he withdrew his appeal in January this year, the death penalty has been finalized.

On the other hand, the death row inmates lawyer has submitted a petition to the Osaka High Court claiming that the withdrawal is invalid, and the focus is now on how the court will rule.

On the 18th, a memorial service will be held at the site of the former studio, where the incident occurred, at around 10:30 a.m., the time it happened. More than 150 bereaved family members and related parties are expected to attend to mourn the employees who lost their lives.

The company is asking the general public not to visit the area around the site where the memorial service will be held in order to avoid confusion.

Mikiko Watanabes mother: No matter how many years pass, its just like that time. Mikiko Watanabe 35 at the time, who died in the incident, was in charge of background art at Kyoto Animation and served as art director for numerous works, including the popular anime Violet Evergarden.

About six years after the incident, the mother, Tatsuko, said, No matter how many years pass, I feel like my feelings are still the same as they were back then.

When news about the incident comes out, there are still parts of me that feel unsettled, but if I dont properly go about my daily life, Mikiko would get mad at me, so Im trying my best, he said, expressing his current feelings.

After Aoba, the death row inmate himself, withdrew his appeal and the death penalty was finalized, the lawyer submitted a petition to the Osaka High Court claiming that the withdrawal was invalid. Regarding the current situation, he said, I do feel that I need to properly understand what will happen with the trial, but no matter what happens to Aoba, Mikiko wont come back, and there will be no significant change in my feelings.

Mother Tatsuko and older brother Isamu have been giving lectures all over the country after the incident, advocating for the need to support crime victims and their families.

Since May of this year, we have started a new initiative where we give out message cards called Thank You Letters to people who attend our lectures.

Their wish is for people to use cards to express their gratitude to those close to them.

A letter was also enclosed with the card, saying, I wanted to express my gratitude even more.

I wanted to spend more time together.

But thats no longer possible.

I want you to say thank you not someday, but now.

It is written that by expressing gratitude, it is hoped to lead to a warm, peaceful society without conflict.

Mr. Isamu said, Now, I can no longer tell Mikiko anything directly, but I wish I could have spent more time with her, and I want to tell her, Isnt there some way you can come back?

I still cant give up on that, and added, I hope that our lectures and such can be an opportunity for you to express your feelings to someone important to you.

And they said, I hope we can have a world where incidents like this never happen.

Naomi Ishida’s mother: “A feeling of helplessness, unable to do anything.” Naomi Ishida, the animator who died in the incident age 49 at the time, was in charge of “color design,” deciding the colors of characters and other elements at Kyoto Animation.

He was involved in many works, including the popular TV anime series The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, and captivated many fans—for example, in the film A Silent Voice, he expressed the heroines tears in a pale pink color.

Mr. Ishidas mother said, The six years since I lost my daughter have passed in the blink of an eye, and no matter how many years go by, I feel that the sadness of losing her never changes.

Within this past year, there have been withdrawals of appeals and motions to invalidate them, but how many years will it take until the sentence is finalized?

I feel a sense of helplessness, as if nothing will change no matter what I think or say.

I am also getting old, so I just hope it will be decided while I am still alive, they said.

Male animator’s father: “I will carry this grief for the rest of my life.” The elderly father of the male animator who died in the incident said, “The first trial has ended, and while that marks one chapter, it doesn’t change the fact that I will carry the sorrow of losing my son for the rest of my life.”

Ive lost so much that even now, I cant help but think only about the 36 people who passed away, he said, expressing his pain.

Also, regarding the current situation where, after Aoba the death row inmate himself withdrew his appeal and the death sentence was finalized, his lawyer has submitted a petition to the Osaka High Court claiming the withdrawal is invalid, he said, “Since the death sentence was handed down in the first trial and he himself withdrew his appeal, I do not wish for any further action.”

As the bereaved family, we would like to be left alone.

On top of that, I want to live my life to the fullest, even for the part my son couldnt live.

We can only hope that no more bereaved families like ours will ever have to go through such sadness again, they said.

Current Status of Judicial Proceedings: After Shinji Aoba, the death row inmate, received the death penalty in the first trial, he withdrew his appeal. However, his lawyer submitted a petition to the Osaka High Court, claiming that the withdrawal was invalid.

On the other hand, according to those involved, the Osaka High Public Prosecutors Office also plans to submit a written opinion around this fall stating that the withdrawal is valid.

Whether the withdrawal was made based on a proper judgment is expected to be the main point of contention. In the past, there have been cases where a withdrawal was deemed invalid and the trial was resumed, so the focus will be on the decision of the high court.

On the other hand, even if the high court makes a decision, if the defense or the prosecution files an appeal, the case will continue to be reviewed by the Supreme Court and other courts, so it is expected to take time before a final conclusion is reached.