Deadly arson at anime studio stuns Japan

In one of the deadliest attacks in the country in decades, a man ignited a flammable liquid at an animation studio in the city of Kyoto on Thursday, killing 33 people and injuring dozens more, the police said.

Many of the dead were found lying atop one another near the doorway to the roof, which was closed but not locked, the public broadcaster NHK reported.

News reports citing the police said the 41-year-old suspect had entered the building screaming “Die!" and collapsed after he tried to escape the flames. He was being treated for burns before further questioning.

Background: The studio, Kyoto Animation, or KyoAni, is a highly regarded producer of anime, a cartoon style that is a backbone of Japan’s popular culture and one of the country’s major soft-power exports.