Kyoto Animation fire: Fans and animators pay tribute to arson attack victims

‘Many lives were changed’ by the studio’s work, one fan wrote

Thousands of animators, comic book artists and fans have taken to Twitter with tributes to Kyoto Animation, the Japanese anime studio which today suffered an arson attack that is believed to have killed at least 23 people.

Sentai Filmworks, a US-based licensing company for anime, expressed their condolences on social media and have launched a GoFundMe to raise money for the fallen studio. Within three hours the campaign has raised over $150,000 of its $500,000 goal.

The popular Twitch vlogger Chum and Rice told his followers: “Kyoto Animation matters [because] it’s a rare case of an anime studio comprised of passionate, enthusiastic, well-compensated individuals with a healthy working environment.”

After recalling his own tours of the studio while visiting Kyoto, he added: “I still could not believe how genuine my visit was as a tourist, but also all the stories I hear about the offices and the programs to make students that dream of being animators... come true.”

Mike Toole, the editor-at-large of the Anime News Network, wrote: “Kyoto Animation are a rarity in the anime business: they treat their people well, they strive to own part of their works, and their creations are consistently excellent, at the very least on a technical level.”

The studio’s diversity, work conditions and salaries have also been praised, with Canadian podcast host @roobots writing: “Kyoani is not only one of the most talented animation studios out there, but they’re also largely comprised of women and one of the few studios in Japan that provide good work conditions. This is a terrible loss of life and art.”

Crunchyroll, the American distribution company for a number of anime properties, wrote: “Our hearts go out to everyone at Kyoto Animation, and to all their friends and family.”

Anime blogger @GlennAkio added: “Kyoto Animation handled life lessons & the human condition incredibly well. Many lives were changed or forced self-reflection from anime’s iconic moments. Cherishing each day, the definition of family, bullying and redemption, self-improvement... all because of these scenes.”

Kyoto Animation, also known as KyoAni, was founded in 1981 as an animation and comic book production studio. Some of its best known projects include the popular anime series Lucky Star, K-On! and Haruhi Suzumiya.

Police and fire officials say the blaze broke out at the three-storey Kyoto Animation Company studio after a man sprayed an unidentified liquid around the building at about 10.30am local time on Thursday. A number of people are still unaccounted for and dozens were injured, including the 41-year-old suspect who was taken to hospital.

In a statement, the Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe said the fire was “too appalling for words”.