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Non-Profit Delivers Over 50,000 Paper Cranes to Kyoto Animation's Studio
posted on by Lynzee Loveridge
A non-profit based in Kyoto delivered over 50,000 paper cranes to the remains of Kyoto Animation's Studio 1 on August 8. Origami paper cranes are recognized as a symbol of peace and a Japanese legend states that anyone that folds 1,000 cranes will have their wish granted. With that sentiment in mind, the NPO asked Kyoto Animation fans to fold cranes to deliver to the studio.
Six members of the non-profit delivered the cranes along with messages written in both Chinese and Korean. The non-profit's founder prayed with five other staff members and said, "Kyoto Animation is hope. The studio is loved by people around the world. I think many people wanted to gather together to do something."
Film distributor Eleven Arts is also collecting paper cranes for the studio. Cranes can be mailed directly to Eleven Arts in Los Angeles for delivery to Kyoto Animation.
The Mainichi Shimbun newspaper reported on Monday that donations to Kyoto Animation have exceeded 1.2 billion yen (about US$11.4 million) as of 3:00 p.m. JT on Monday. The studio's bank account for donations after the deadly fire has received a total of 965.63 million yen (about US$8.87 million) from 47,991 donations as of that time.
Kyoto Prefectural Police released the names on Friday of 10 of the 35 victims who died in the fire at Kyoto Animation's 1st studio building on July 18.
On July 18 at around 10:30 a.m. JST, a devastating arson was committed at Kyoto Animation's 1st Studio building, killing 35 people and injuring 33 others. 30 fire engines responded to the fire, and firefighters were able to extinguish most of the fire within five hours after it started, but the fire was not fully put out until 6:20 a.m. on July 19. Kyoto Prefectural Police have already apprehended a 41-year-old man who allegedly used gasoline to start the fire, and are investigating the case as arson.
Source: Kyodo News, Cover photo by David Yu from Pexels
