Includes donation page to help victims set up by another animation company.

A horrible arson attack at Kyoto Animation‘s Studio 1 building on Thursday has left the studio’s fans, families, and Japan reeling in what is the worst mass murder in Japan’s post-World War II history. The attack killed 33 people and injured 35 others.

Since the attack, support has come in from across the globe as fan have looked to bolster spirits with messages and images of support.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, Inc.

Japan’s Belgian Embassy

Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada

Women in Animation

FUNimation Entertainment

Toei Animation

Nickelodeon Animation

Aniplex of America

TATSUKI, Kemono Friends director

How much anime did the people who passed away make while putting in an untold enormous amount of steady hours? How much did they enrich the time of tens of thousands and hundreds of millions of people, and how much did they increase the total amount of human happiness? Why did these people have to have such a painful and heart-breaking end?

Aki Toyosaki, voice actress

K-ON voice actress Aki Toyosaki was hosting her radio program on July 18 when the fire broke out. She decided to discuss her feelings about the news and said, “Of course I feel horrible and I’m talking here in the midst of confusion. Honestly, I don’t know what words to use to express the complex feelings I have right now.” She added, her voice shaking, that she hopes that the day when everyone has recovered will come as soon as possible.

Toyosaki has called Kyoto Animation her favorite anime production studio.

Anime! Anime! news site

We would like to extend our sincere condolences to the injured staff and to those in mourning. In addition, we pray for the quick recovery of those who are still in treatment.Victims, their families, and their relatives…while the circumstances of the situation are still not clear, the only thing we can do right now is express our love for Kyoto Animation. So, we thought we should share a statement that we will support you forever.

Thank you for all of your great work. We love and will continue to love Kyoto Animation. #PrayForKyoani

Sunrise animation studio

For all of those who died in the fire at Kyoto Animation, we wish that you go in peace and we want to issue are sincere condolences to those who are grieving. Also, we are sincerely praying for the quick recovery of everyone who was injured. We will support all of your efforts as a fellow animation production company

Makoto Shinkai, director

Makoto Shinkai offered his comments at a Tokyo theater at the premiere of his film Weathering With You on Friday. “I would like to see new works from KyoAni, and we, as workers in the same industry, hope to continue making [anime] without flinching. I believe we ought to. [Animators] desire to draw as many good pictures as they can and entertain audiences as much as possible. We are all companions in the same boat.”

Sentai Filmworks has set up a page on the GoFundMe website to raise money for the victims, and the campaign has raised more than US$1.3 million. Sentai Filmworks stated on the page that it is “actively working to establish the most direct bridge to delivering this aid to affected KyoAni staff and their families.” The company stated the money “will not be touched until [Sentai Filmworks has] confidence [the funds] will reach the intended recipients. We want donors and those considering donating to this drive to understand that, apart from GoFundMe’s fees to provide a platform for support, every dollar collected will go to the intended recipients.”

Sentai Filmworks has not yet specifically stated exactly what it will do with the money or who it will go to, and has not stated that it has assurance from Kyoto Animation that the company or its staff will accept the money.

Similarly, the Animate retail chain announced on Friday that it has started collecting donations for the victims at all its retail locations around Japan. The company has also not yet specifically stated how the money will be used, and has not yet decided when the fundraising campaign will end.

Crunchyroll also started accepting messages of support, including photographs or art, to Kyoto Animation through its website. Crunchyroll stated, “We will report back here on how we will present these messages to the studio, and to the friends and family of those affected by this tragedy.”

Source: Nijimen, The Mainichi
Featured image: Twitter/@BelgiumEmbJapan
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