PA Works' President Horikawa Kenji’s speech at the company all-hands meeting on the second day after the Kyoani incident:
>As many of you might have already known, an arsonist set Kyoto Animation on fire yesterday. Before the whole picture of the incident is investigated and revealed, we already know that 33 precious lives are lost, with many injured. Let’s pray for them.
>This is absolutely the worst and the most terrible event in the history of anime industry. Sadness and fury took over the Internet and the news. I also tried to follow up with the updates, but the intense fluctuation of my emotions has made me mentally unstable. I thought I needed some time to calm down, yet knowing that my employees have also become swayed by the incident, I think I should (stand out now and) tell you all my thoughts at this moment. I cannot guarantee whether what I am going to say is calm, sane, or whether my thoughts are well tidied up or not.
>Regarding the crime, though we don’t know much beyond what has happened as a matter of fact, the tragedy that happened was so devastating, and can never be recovered. I shall refrain from commenting (on the cruelty of the incident)
>Regarding the precious lives that are lost, before these souls can fulfill their dreams, the fact that they died young was so regrettable, so upsetting, beyond anyone’s imagination. Nevertheless, they’ve left their proof of existence – look at the messages that fans from the world sent to them – “they were the hopes of my life”, “I became myself at the moment because of Kyoani”. They gave the fans who watched their works the power to live. The works that they produced wholeheartedly, and the proofs of their existence, shall never be forgotten. Let’s pray that it will resonate in people’s heart around the world, and forever become their drive to live.
