Family of Kyoto Animation Background Artist Who Died in Arson Opens Exhibit of Her Works

It cannot be denied that irreplaceable, talented staff and artists were taken from the anime world when the deadly arson against Kyoto Animation was perpetuated. While their works will live on forever in the hearts of fans all over the world, the family of late KyoAni background artist Mikiko Watanabe wanted to make sure that her art will never be forgotten. Thus, her family opened a public exhibit of her works.

Kyodo News recently reported about the “Kuwana Machi no Eki” souvenir store in Kuwana City, Mie Prefecture, which hosts an exhibit of Watanabe’s artworks. The exhibit was opened by her great-aunt Setsuko Tsuchida, who is herself an artist. Asked why she opened an exhibit of Watanabe’s works, she said that she wanted proof that her great-niece lived. She added, “It might be called background art, but the drawings are all so wonderful and have such loving attention to detail. I want all kinds of people to see it.”

Watanabe was the art director and background artist for KyoAni titles such as Violet Evergarden, Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid, Liz and the Blue Bird, and Myriad Colors Phantom World. Last February, the Tokyo Anime Film Festival posthumously gave her an award for the background/color/video category for her work in Violet Evergarden, Beyond the Boundary, and Liz and the Blue Bird.

Watanabe was 35 years old at the time of the arson incident.

The exhibit on her works has been open since June 17. Watanabe’s family said that Kyoto Animation provided them with the files of her artwork from her computer.

On July 18, 2019, a fire broke out in Kyoto Animation’s 1^st Studio building, killing 36 and injuring 33. Last May, police have officially arrested Shinji Aoba, the man who witnesses said doused the building in gasoline and started the fire. He was only officially arrested this year because of the injuries he sustained from the fire.  

Source: Anime News Network