Kyoto Animation Co. said Thursday all of the victims of the July arson attack on one of its animation studios will be named in the end credits of its new film to be released Friday.
The fire killed 35 of the 70 employees working at the studio at the time. Their names will be shown as a "testament" to all those who worked on the new film, which was completed on July 17, the day before the attack, according to the company's lawyer.
The movie, "Violet Evergarden Gaiden: Eien to Jido Shuki Ningyo" ("Violet Evergarden Story: Eternity and the Auto Memories Doll"), will be the first work released since the fire. It will be screened nationwide until Sept. 26.
The end credits of Kyoto Animation films usually include only the names of staff with more than a year's experience, but the studio will include all staff members who worked on the latest movie.
"We will be happy if the film is enjoyed for many years to come," the company said.
The new movie is a spinoff from the popular anime series "Violet Evergarden," which is based on a novel of the same title that won an award in a writing contest held by the company in 2014.
The story revolves around the title female character, an ex-soldier and an "auto memory doll," or ghostwriter, who learns how to love and acquires emotions by writing letters for others.
Kyoto Animation, or KyoAni, is also known for works such as "K-On!" and "The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya," which depicts the everyday lives of high school girls.
The fire at the studio in Kyoto's Fushimi Ward, the center of the company's anime production, occurred on July 18 after 41-year-old Shinji Aoba allegedly splashed and ignited gasoline inside the three-story building.