Arson at KyoAni
Jul. 18th, 2019 07:12 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
petrea_mitchellWoke up this morning to the news of a horrifying arson at Kyoto Animation. Casualties currently stand at 33 dead, 35 injured.
Knowing the high-pressure working conditions of the anime industry, one immediately wonders if the arsonist was an employee, but the BBC says it's not so. (The BBC also notes that this studio has distinguished itself by trying to pay animators in a more reasonable manner.) Signs instead point to a deranged fan.
Several GoFundMe campaigns have been started already, with more probably on the way; I'd advise holding off until one of them gets specific about who exactly they're sending the money to and for what specific needs. (Japan, being a fully developed country, has a social safety net that will take care of medical expenses etc.)
Because studios frequently take on subcontract work, it's not just shows where KyoAni is the lead studio that will be affected. This will have ripple effects all across the anime industry. We may see a number of suspended and cancelled shows. Our job in this as fans is to be supportive of the animators and trust that they're doing what they can.
Knowing the high-pressure working conditions of the anime industry, one immediately wonders if the arsonist was an employee, but the BBC says it's not so. (The BBC also notes that this studio has distinguished itself by trying to pay animators in a more reasonable manner.) Signs instead point to a deranged fan.
Several GoFundMe campaigns have been started already, with more probably on the way; I'd advise holding off until one of them gets specific about who exactly they're sending the money to and for what specific needs. (Japan, being a fully developed country, has a social safety net that will take care of medical expenses etc.)
Because studios frequently take on subcontract work, it's not just shows where KyoAni is the lead studio that will be affected. This will have ripple effects all across the anime industry. We may see a number of suspended and cancelled shows. Our job in this as fans is to be supportive of the animators and trust that they're doing what they can.
