Sentai Filmworks confirmed on Friday that it has sent the final distribution of funds from its GoFundMe campaign to the Kyoto Animation studio.
Sentai Filmworks stated it had sent “nearly all” of the funds to the studio on November 21, leaving a “small percentage” for credit card processing purposes. Now, the final distribution of reserved funds is complete. Sentai Filmworks stated Kyoto Animation‘s official representative confirmed the receipt of the funds.
Sentai Filmworks launched the campaign in July to help the victims of the deadly fire at Kyoto Animation‘s 1st Studio building on July 18. The campaign raised a total of US$2,367,030.
Kyoto Animation had also opened a bank account to receive donations, and the bank account reached 2,915,460,000 yen (about US$26.8 million) by October 17. The studio handed control of the account to the custody of the Kyoto Prefectural Government, who will oversee the donation money’s transfer to the victims of the fire and their families. Kyoto Animation will not handle the money itself.
On July 18, a devastating fire broke out at Kyoto Animation‘s Studio 1 building. A total of 70 people were inside the building at the time. The fire killed 36 people and injured 33 others. In addition to those victims, a man in his 40s on his way to work in the area suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation.
Kyoto Prefectural Police have apprehended a 41-year-old man who allegedly used gasoline to start the fire, and they are investigating the case as arson. The man allegedly bought 40 liters of gasoline in two canisters and used a cart to transport the gasoline to Kyoto Animation‘s Studio 1 building. Police have yet to arrest the man as he is still in the hospital recovering from his injuries from the fire. The man is now undergoing rehabilitation and is able to communicate.
Kyoto Animation held a public memorial service for the victims of the fire at the Miyako Messe event hall in Kyoto on November 3-4.
Source: Sentai Filmworks‘ Twitter account