Anime studio hit by deadly fire is known for skill, fan base
It may not be as famous as Japanese anime legend Studio Ghibli, but Kyoto Animation has many core fans and is known as a team of skilled animators that provides top-quality work for others and can produce its own hits, such as "Lucky Star," ''K-On!" and the "Haruhi Suzumiya" series.
The company hit by a deadly fire on Thursday, which left 33 people dead, also has a unique founding history.
The company was started in 1981 by a former animator who recruited housewives from her neighborhood in Uji city south of Kyoto, where she married and moved from Tokyo, the center of the animation industry.
Yoko Hatta previously had worked at Mushi Production, a studio for the works of anime legend Osamu Tezuka, who created Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion.
The company better known as KyoAni doesn't have a major presence in Japan but has won gradual recognition while providing secondary animation work for major productions. Their work included a 1998 "Pokemon" feature that appeared in U.S. theaters and a "Winnie the Pooh" video.
While providing work for top artists, the company has been able to make and feature its own stories in Japanese TV anime and comic series. Some of its mega-hits include "Lucky Star" in 2008, "K-On!" in 2011 and "Haruhi Suzumiya" in 2009. The company was preparing for a planned release of a new feature animation film "Violet Evergarden," a story of a woman who professionally writes letters for clients.
Places featured in the hit animation stories have become pilgrimage destinations for anime fans.
Among them is Washinoniya Jinja, a shrine in Saitama prefecture just north of Tokyo, a scene in the TV animation series "Lucky Star," or "Raki Suta," based on comics by Kagami Yoshimizu.
Years after the TV animation ended, the area still attracts fans of Raki Suta girls, with goods featuring the characters sold at its neighborhood stores, and a portable shrine decorated with the anime characters appearing at an annual festival in September.
News On Japan - Nov 26
Panicked passengers on a Shinkansen bullet train were evacuated at a central Japan station on Friday night, after a plastic bag containing suspicious liquid was found onboard.
News On Japan - Nov 26
A 29-year-old man has been arrested for meeting an underage teen girl, with sexual intent, after sending her messages, promising to make her "the happiest in the world".
News On Japan - Nov 25
Inui Street, the famed autumn walk within the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo, opened to the public from Saturday.
News On Japan - Nov 25
Nissan Motor Corporation has announced plans to transition all its vehicles produced in the United Kingdom to electric vehicles (EVs).
News On Japan - Nov 25
A JR West Japan train conductor has been arrested for secretly filming eight women in the toilet of the express train "Haruka" while on duty.
News On Japan - Nov 25
Tofukuji Temple, home to 2,000 maple trees and renowned as one of Kyoto's premier autumn hotspots, features the Tsutenkyo Bridge, and the breathtaking 'sea of autumn leaves'.
News On Japan - Nov 25
The strongest cold snap of the season has brought a dramatic drop in temperatures to northern Japan, where snow began falling Friday morning, with up to 50 cm expected in Hokkaido and Tohoku by Saturday evening, and a chance of blizzards.
News On Japan - Nov 24
It's Shichi-Go-San, the Japanese festival season for celebrating the healthy growth of children, with Aibo the robot dog giving prayer at a shrine in Fukuoka, on Friday.
NHK - Nov 24
Japanese police are investigating a stabbing incident that took place at a music arena in Yokohama City, south of Tokyo, on Thursday.
News On Japan - Nov 24
The amount of undeclared income by wealthy people in Japan has reached a record high of 98 billion yen, among the worst offenders being scrap gold wholesalers, breeders and yakiniku restaurants, the National Tax Agency announced on Friday.
Total Film - Nov 24
After hitting the big screen in its native Japan on November 3, Godzilla Minus One is about to make its way overseas – and it's a hit with international critics.
NHK - Nov 24
Tokyo has a new landmark, a 330-meter-high skyscraper that opened on Friday. The Mori JP tower has 64 floors for shops, offices and residences. It's the tallest building in Japan, a title that previously belonged to the Abeno Harukas commercial and business tower in Osaka, western Japan.
theceomagazine.com - Nov 24
Shitennō-ji temple is one of Osaka’s most important Buddhist temples. Built in the sixth century during the rule of Prince Shotoku, it has stood firm as the high-rises of the modern-day city have towered above it.
News On Japan - Nov 23
As street dance reaches fever pitch in the lead up to the 2024 Paris Olympics with the inclusion of breakdancing, one of Japan's largest street dance events was held in Yoyogi Park, Shibuya, Tokyo.
News On Japan - Nov 23
Russians continue to be the worst offenders among cars with foreign diplomatic number plates when it comes to not paying off parking fines in Japan.
News On Japan - Nov 23
As Kyoto's autumn foliage reaches its peak, swarms of tourists have converged on the ancient capital, captivated by stunning displays like Wednesday evening's illumination at Kiyomizu Temple.