Japanese man Shinji Aoba who had been found guilty in Kyoto Animation studio arson case. Back in 2019 which killed 36 people who were present during the time in the studio has been sentenced to death by a Kyoto district court.

The Japanese man Shinji Aoba, 45 year old at that time admitted to breaking inside the studio with petrol. It has been reported that after breaking inside the studio.

Shinji Aoba doused petrol all around the ground floor and shouted “Drop dead” before setting the entire building on fire.

According to the verdict Kyoto District Court found out Shinji Aoba guilty of setting the three story building on fire.

Judge Matsuda ruled Shinji Aoba was neither insane nor suffered from diminished mental capacity at the time of the crime.

Even though Shinji Aoba has already confessed to setting fire in the building, during the trial of the case which was held in September 2023.

Defense claimed that Aoba was unable to discern reality from fiction when setting fire to Kyoto Animation studio, and appealed that his sentence should be reduced.

Shinji Aoba has previously claimed that Kyoto Animation studio had stolen his ideas after rejecting his novels. However none of his claims have been found true against Kyoto Animation studio. 

Japan’s Death penalty

Japan is very stern when it comes to capital punishment, it is also among the few countries among the developed nations, that administers death penalty offenders. Usually in murder cases where the culprit had killed more than on victim. 

In last December Japan administered 107 death penalty for criminals. Back in 2018 the country had executed 13 people through Capital punishment. 

Shinji Aoba’s Arson Case

During the trial it had been revealed that Shinji Aoba almost died while setting fire on Kyoto Animation studio. He suffered 90 percent of burns on his body and was immediately transferred to a hospital. Aoba’s face, torso and limbs were severely burned, during the arson. 

Shinji Aoba was unconscious for weeks after he was transferred to the hospital. He was treated for total 10 months at the hospital. 

KyoAni Arson Case Verdict

According to the verdict Shinji Aoba has been found guilty in the case, and has been sentenced to death. Even after his defense’s claims that Aoba was not mentally stable during  the time he committed the crime.

Kyoto district court, dismissed those claims and ruled out that Shinji Aoba was completely stable when he committed the arson. 

Victims family member’s’ response to the appeal

The family members of the victims were in an extremely frustrating situation, ever since the trial begin as because of Shinji Aoba’s defense claims the case was put on halt and Kyoto district court could not rule out Shinji Aoba death sentence.

The family member of the victim mother of late Naomi Ishida, expressed her feelings after the verdict. She mentioned that they had been waiting for the verdict since a long time.

After getting the verdict, she is somewhat relived that her son got the justice he deserved.  However during the trial, mother of late Naomi Ishida was not sure how the verdict will turn out.

After Shinji Aoba defense appealed to the court that he was not in the right mental state when he committed the arson. 

According to late Naomi Ishida’s mother she was worried that she would not be able to witness the verdict. Since she is quite old, and it was frustrating for her that the case was not moving forward with the verdict.

Late Naomi Ishida used to work as a color designer at Kyoto Animation. She has worked in many outstanding projects like A Silent Voice,Hyouka and Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions! and others. 

Late Mikiko Watanabe, mother Tatsuko told the media after the verdict, that she believed appeals should be made in cases, but she sincerely hoped that they stop making appeals in cases that killed her daughter.

She expressed her frustration that the the defendant knew what the culprit Shinji Aoba did to the 36 people. But they still proceeded with the appeal she told the media that should stop. 

Late Mikiko Watanabe was an art director for anime Violet Evergarden, Kobayashi-san Chi no Maid Dragon, Amagi Brilliant Park and others. 

The father of a male animator who was killed in the arson, expressed his disappointment after attending the trials. The father stated that he did not feel any remorse from arsonist Shinji Aoba. 

After the verdict he told the media, he did not consider that death penalty could ever compensate for the 36 lives that were lost in the arson. He commented that the verdict could not bring back his son, he expressed that the reason why his son had to die would haunt him for the rest of his life. 

Defence Lawyer’s comment during the appeal

Shinji Aoba’s defense lawyer commented after filling the appeal,  that he was hoping the court would accept his appeal, regardless what the court would rule out during the verdict.

He thought it was very unfortunate, and his expressed that he was hoping Shinji Aoba would speak about the reason why he committed the crime that took the life of 36 people.

He believes that it was not only right for the defendant but also for the society, so more such crimes would not happen in future.