Kyoto District Court Sentences Shinji Aoba to Death
Brutal Crime Method and Evidence of Prior Criminal Conspiracy Also Found
The defendant in the 2019 Kyoto Animation (KyoAni) arson case, which resulted in 70 casualties, was sentenced to death in the first trial. Although the defense argued diminished mental capacity as a mitigating factor, the Japanese court ruled that the crime was cruel and premeditated, rejecting the claim of diminished mental capacity.
On the 25th, Japanese media including NHK reported that the Kyoto District Court sentenced the defendant, Shinji Aoba, to death. In 2019, Aoba went to Kyoto Animation’s (KyoAni) Studio 1, poured gasoline, and set it on fire, resulting in the deaths of 36 employees and a total of 70 casualties among 176 staff members at the time.
Regarding his motive, Aoba testified that he submitted a novel to a KyoAni contest but was rejected under the direction of a "dark figure," and later harbored resentment because KyoAni adapted his novel into an animation without crediting him, which he considered plagiarism. Therefore, a key issue in the trial was whether his delusions and other mental conditions would qualify as diminished mental capacity. Aoba’s defense attorney argued for acquittal or mitigation, citing his parents’ divorce during his childhood and subsequent abuse by his father.
However, the court stated, "It is difficult to see that the defendant was in a state of mental incapacity at the time of the crime," and recognized his criminal responsibility. The court emphasized, "The defendant attempted arson with a high risk to life, which is truly heinous. The fear and pain of the victims who died or later passed away in the studio that became a hell in an instant cannot be expressed in words or writing."
Furthermore, the court noted that Aoba had previously planned a crime at another location before the arson, stating, "It cannot be said that his ability to judge right from wrong was significantly impaired at the time of the crime. He was neither mentally incapacitated nor diminished in capacity." It is known that one month before the incident, Aoba went to a station in Saitama Prefecture intending to carry out a mass killing but abandoned the plan. Aoba testified, "I thought to tell KyoAni that plagiarizing my idea led to this outcome, but I judged that the station where I planned the crime was not crowded enough to cause a major incident." He also referred to previous arson cases when planning the incident and brought six knives to the scene, considering additional crimes.
The trial also involved statements regarding Aoba’s claims of plagiarism. KyoAni strongly denied the allegations, stating, "We are not a company that steals one person’s ideas. The incident occurred based on the defendant’s assumptions." However, Aoba insisted, "My idea can be seen by the KyoAni director on his blog, so it cannot be said that he has not read my work. Although the mental health examiner said I was delusional at the time of the evaluation, I consider it a fact within myself," reiterating his claim.
As KyoAni produced several representative works such as "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" and "Violet Evergarden," the arson incident sparked national outrage. On the day of the trial, 409 people applied for 23 public seats, resulting in a competition rate of 18 to 1.
After being sentenced to death, Aoba slowly nodded in response to the judge’s words and left the courtroom in a wheelchair, with the grieving family members’ sobs behind him. He himself suffered full-body burns from the arson and was arrested 10 months later while receiving treatment in the hospital.
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