Death penalty to Shinji Aoba, arsonist behind Japan anime studio fire that killed 36

A Japanese man who admitted to starting a fire at the popular Kyoto Animation studio in 2019 that killed 36,has been sentenced to death by the court, local media reported.

The man identified as Shinji Aoba, 45,reportedly broke into the studio, sprayed petrol around the ground floor and alighted it before shouting "Drop dead".

The Kyoto District Court found Aoba guilty of setting the three-story building on fire andruled that he was "neither insane nor suffering diminished mental capacity at the time of the crime".

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Despite admitting to starting the fire in the trial that started in September last year, Aoba's attorneys entered anot-guilty plea. His teamargued that even if he was to be convicted, he should be given a reduced sentence on account of his "state of diminished capacity", adding that he was delusional at the time of the attack.

Notably, Aobaclaimed the anime studio had stolen his ideas after rejecting his novels at an annual award contest the studio hosts. However, to this date, there is absolutely no evidence that the studio plagiarised his work.

Death penalty in Japan

Among developed nations, Japan is the minority that hands out capital punishment to criminals, usually involved in murder cases with more than one victim.

As of December last year, at least 107 people were on death row. In 2018, the country executed 13 people, including the leader of a doomsday cult, responsible for the 1995 sarin attacks on Tokyo's subway.

Watch | Kyoto Animation studio: Suspected arson attack in Japan leaves at least 36 dead

Aoba suffered injuries in arson attack

Notably, Aoba nearly died in the attack as well, suffering severe burns on 90 per cent of his body, including on the face, torso and limbs.

Consequently, he remained unconscious for weeks and was treated for 10 months at a hospitalspecialising in burns where he underwent several skin transplant operations, according to Japanese media reports.

As for the beloved studio, also known as KyoAni, famous for producing graphic novels and films with high production value, justice may have been finally served.

Some of the popular animation works by the studio include K-On! and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya. After the attack, Apple CEO Tim Cook posted about the studioand howKyoAni's artists "spread joy all over the world and across generations with their masterpieces".

Later, a US-based animation company managed to raise $2.4 million via crowdfunding for the studio to help it get back on its feet.

(With inputs from agencies)