Kyoto Animation Arson Trial May Begin Before End of 2023

The trial of the Saitama man, Shinji Aoba, who was indicted in December 2020 on charges of arson and murder for the brutal attack on Kyoto Animation in July 2019, which left over 30 people dead and others (including Aoba himself) seriously injured, may begin before the end of the year.

According to a report posted to The Mainichi on Thursday, January 19th, an investigative source revealed that while an exact date has yet to be determined, the trial may begin between September and December 2023. Currently, the prosecutors are working with the victims’ families to see if they want to participate in the trial. With many of them expressing interest, the court is considering a larger venue to accommodate them. For the defense team, the most significant point of contention is arguing if Aoba is mentally competent enough to be held criminally liable for his crimes. 

Previous reports posted to the J-List blog say that the man in custody has already had multiple mental evaluations at the request of both legal sides. The first evaluation was completed in December 2020, and the defendant was found mentally competent enough to be charged with his crimes. The second evaluation at the defense team’s request was completed in March 2022.

During the interview process of the first evaluation, Aoba stated he believed Kyoto Animation had plagiarized his novel in the fifth episode of the archery anime Tsurune. Whether that was his primary motive for the attack remains unclear. 

As for the studio itself, while the main building that was attacked has been gutted, a memorial committee has been formed to discuss what kind of marker should be left behind for the victims since the surrounding neighborhood residents do not want anything that is going to attract crowds of fans to the area.