Since 2010, Kyoto Animation has annually solicited novel submissions, from professional or amateur writers, for its Kyoto Animation Awards.
Annual novel contest submission apparently connected to suspect’s shouting “They stole my novel, so I set the fire.”
Meanwhile, Hatta has promised that, despite the immense loss the company has suffered, Kyoto Animation “will not go quietly into the night.”
Kyoto Animation’s attorney went on to say that the novel submitted by Shinji Aoba was formally eliminated from the contest in the first round of judges’ evaluations.