So, July 18 will mark a year since the arson attack at Kyoto Animation. I don’t mean to rub salt over old wounds, but looking at the latest news about it has had me thinking a lot the past few weeks. I was debating on whether or not to make this post because the world is a living hell right now, but I’ve been asked about the matter by a few people and the posts I made back then are getting notes again, so I’ve decided to go on with it.
For those who haven’t heard, the attacker was finally arrested last month. Yep, only last month. Believe it or not, guys, he still hasn’t fully recovered from the burns that he accidentally gave himself back then. This and covid-19 had delayed his arrest, which was originally scheduled for January.
We all know that the incident was talked about pretty much everywhere for quite a while last year. But now that the first anniversary is approaching, newspapers have been expressing concern that the case is being gradually forgotten. That’s a pertinent worry, in my opinion.
It might not seem like it, but the amount of information covered by the news back when the attack happened was actually pretty limited, in respect for the privacy of the bereaved families. That didn’t allow certain details to come into light, and attempts to humanize the story by publishing the names of all the victims faced backlash in Japan, which left people with very little to digest the event, and even less to keep it in their memory for long enough.
Other than this, it seems the criminal is only under the police’s custody due to the risk of him running away from the hospital or destroying evidence had he stayed in freedom. Apparently, he hasn’t yet been sentenced and there are no signs that he will be in court anytime soon, as he’s still mostly bedridden. So although it’s certainly not early to put it past us, the case hasn’t been closed, and therefore must not lose its relevance just yet.
Of course, I’m not saying we should bring back the subject of the incident itself. Rather, I think it would be best to simply spread love for KyoAni and their shows in this period. Many people will find themselves grieving again for the victims next month and that’s inevitable, but honoring their legacy seems in order as well. The survivors and their colleagues also deserve acknowledgement for their resilience.
That being said, if there’s any of their series that you guys feel like trying out or rewatching, don’t hesitate to do it (preferably through legal means, as it would benefit the studio). There’s also the option of posting edits and prompts, writing fanfics and metas, drawing fanart, etc. to make their stuff trend. For those who haven’t yet, maybe consider visiting their official sites and buying their merch, subscribing to their channel or following their Twitter accounts too. And fandom-specific blogs, you still have time to plan out events! Do your thing!
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