The arson attack in a revered Kyoto animation studio killed 36 people and injured dozens more.

A Japanese man has been sentenced to death for an arson attack at a Kyoto animation studio in 2019 which killed 36 people and injured dozens more.

The incident, one of Japan’s deadliest in recent decades, killed mostly young artists and shocked the anime world.

Shinji Aoba, 45, pleaded guilty to the attack but his lawyers had sought a lighter sentence on grounds of “mental incompetence”.

Judges rejected this however, ruling that Aoba knew what he was doing.

“I have determined that the defendant was not mentally insane or weak at the time of the crime,” Chief Judge Masuda said on Thursday at Kyoto District Court.

  • xmunk@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    142·
    10 months ago

    In Japan a lot of idols aren’t allowed to be seen as being in relationships… it’s really fucking skeevy.

    • TwinTusksEnglish
      51·
      10 months ago

      In Japan a lot of idols aren’t allowed to be seen as being in relationships

      Not just Japan, is all Asia. One member of a female korean group said something to the effect of the fans want them sexy and unavaliable.