Police say 33 people were killed and 35 others were wounded by fire after a suspected arson attack at an animation studio in Japan's western city of Kyoto.

An unidentified man poured what appeared to be gasoline at the entrance to the first floor of the Kyoto Animation studio on Thursday.

He then set fire to the liquid, causing an explosive blaze. Eyewitnesses say the perpetrator yelled "Die!" during the act.

Police say 74 people, including employees of the company, were inside the building at the time of the fire.

The blaze was extinguished about five hours later.

Police say many bodies were found lying over one another in a staircase leading from the third floor to the rooftop.

The suspect fled the scene, but was captured by police about 100 meters from the studio later in the day.

Police say they did not interrogate the man as he needed to be treated at a hospital for serious burns he suffered in the fire.

Police say a driver's license the man was carrying shows he is a 41-year-old former resident of Saitama City, just north of Tokyo, but now has no fixed address.

The man has never worked at Kyoto Animation, leaving it unclear what connections he has with the firm.

Gasoline cans, kitchen knives, and a hammer were discovered near the studio. Police suspect they belonged to the suspect.