Kyoto Animation Co held a memorial service on Saturday for the 36 victims of the 2019 arson attack at its former No. 1 Studio site in Fushimi, Kyoto.
Around 140 relatives and employees attended the private ceremony at the site. They laid flowers at an altar and observed a moment of silence.
Kyoto Animation President Shinichiro Hatta said in a message, "We will carry on the work, enthusiasm, and creative passion of the deceased." Hatta assumed the role in February from his father Hideaki.
Shinji Aoba, 48, faces the death sentence for the attack that also injured 32 others. He dropped his appeal in January 2025, but his defense filed an objection in March 2026 seeking to nullify the withdrawal.