Help KyoAni Heal (gofundme) By Sentai Filmworks
Kyoto Animation Fans
Updates (by Sentai Filmworks, Organiser)
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For decades, Kyoto Animation and their talented team of visionaries have gifted the world with animated works that have inspired and influenced countless lives around the world.
In a world where nearly anything, including Japanese anime, can be reduced to a commodity, Kyoto Animation’s productions are distinguishable as some of the world’s most heartfelt, soulful and beautifully crafted works. Sentai Filmworks has been honored to have had the opportunity to represent many of those works outside Japan including K-ON!, Beyond the Boundary, and Love, Chunibyo & Other Delusions. And, like all of you, we know KyoAni through those creative works.
On July 18, 2019, the Kyoto Animation family was viciously and senselessly attacked. The full extent of this tragedy is only now coming into full view. More than thirty people lost their lives and scores of others were seriously injured. The purpose of this drive is to collect funds for their benefit. Our team in Japan is in communication with KyoAni representatives.
Sentai Filmworks launched this drive but the movement has been propelled entirely by the generosity and kindness of people like you who have been touched by Kyoto Animation’s works over the years. The level of support and the fundraising that has been achieved so far is a testament to the positive impact KyoAni has had on the lives and the imaginations of so many around the world.
We plan to end the fundraising phase of this drive on July 31. After this drive concludes, we intend to deliver 100% of the funds directly to those in need, either directly through Kyoto Animation, or through partnering with a local, Japan-based organization that can ensure that funds are delivered to the KyoAni staff and their families impacted. We are working with our contacts in Japan in coordination with KyoAni to finalize this plan.
No funds will be withdrawn until the plan for aid distribution is completed and approved in cooperation with KyoAni. We will provide the details of that final plan in a follow-up post on this page.
Update: 7/18/19 8:15am CST
Although the situation is still developing, it is clear that our friends at Kyoto Animation (KyoAni) have suffered greatly. In addition to the loss of life, many lives will be forever changed. Like all of you, we wanted to take action to help however we can. That is the purpose of this Gofundme effort.
We’ve known KyoAni through their many works that have inspired, influenced and entertained us over the years. They are true masters of their art and one of Japan’s national treasures.
Your pledges and the funds we raise are intended to provide the most direct, meaningful assistance possible to the victims of this heartbreaking tragedy. We are coordinating with others in the Japanese anime industry within Japan to ensure that funds collected reach those in need. We will continue to provide updates as those details develop.
For now, I want to thank everyone for their kindness, generosity and support of this effort. The outpouring of pledges and messages of support has been tremendous. Please help us continue this effort.
John Ledford
Sentai Filmworks
President
Updates:
22-November-2019
Dear Supporters and Followers,
We are pleased to announce that we will be transferring the remainder of the funds accrued by this campaign to Kyoto Animation and its representatives today, as described in our previous updates on August 20 and September 16, 2019. We will transfer the reserve using the same method as our initial transfer, and we will provide a final update to confirm Kyoto Animation’s receipt of the funds.
There is no combination of words that can completely describe the gratitude we feel toward everyone who contributed to this campaign. Whether you donated, shared or left a message in the spirit of love and kindness toward Kyoto Animation, your good intentions were felt, and the impact of your actions is far-reaching.
Thank you very much for your continued support of Kyoto Animation.
16-September-2019
To the supporters and followers of this campaign,
Kyoto Animation has updated their official site confirming receipt of funds collected by this GoFundMe campaign, in which you have all played a part. That public update is viewable here: http://www.kyotoanimation.co.jp/information/?id=3075.
As we shared in an earlier update, the most recently completed transfer represents nearly all of the campaign funds, less standard transactional fees for online payment processing. In or around the month of December, we will disburse the balance of the reserve $100,000 on deposit with GoFundMe for final credit card processing/settlement purposes. The remaining portion of that reserve will be transferred to Kyoto Animation, and we will update this page accordingly.
An immense amount of gratitude is owed to everyone who contributed to this campaign and to all those who have supported Kyoto Animation in the days since the attack on July 18, 2019. Your love and support are instrumental in Kyoto Animation’s continued efforts to recover from this tragedy. We are humbled and honored to have been a part of this movement to help the families and loved ones of Kyoto Animation. The actions of all those who helped in the aftermath are a reflection of the enduring legacy of the creative souls who were lost and those who will bear the reminders of these heartbreaking events forever. Those creative souls inspired so many of us around the globe, and their works will continue to do so throughout time.
Stay tuned for further updates made through this GoFundMe.
21-AUGUST-2019
Dear Supporters and Followers,
Although this fundraiser closed to donations on July 31, 2019, we stand in awe of your continued messages of love and generous support for Kyoto Animation during this difficult time. We sincerely appreciate all of your contributions to this drive as well as to other fundraising and support initiatives established by friends around the world.
Now it is time to start the process of sending those funds to Kyoto Animation.
We have been coordinating fund distribution with Kyoto Animation’s agent and lawyer, Mr. Daisuke Okeda. Mr. Okeda has directed us to deposit the funds received from this GoFundMe drive into an account established by Kyoto Animation to accept donations like these. Most importantly, Mr. Okeda has fully assured and committed that the donations contributed through this GoFundMe drive will all be utilized to support the victims of this tragedy and their families. We discuss that pledge in more detail below.
The transfer process has two phases, and each phase has two steps. This is because transactional standards require that funds from a US GoFundMe be deposited into a US bank account. GoFundMe has also advised us to reserve funds in the amount of $100,000 for final credit card settlement. Moreover, all funds withdrawn are subject to standard online transactional fees, which total $89,539.24.
Moving to the withdrawal phases, we will follow these steps.
This first phase will result in the overwhelming majority of funds moving to Kyoto Animation’s designated account. We will be withdrawing these funds ($2+ million) and leaving only the reserve with GoFundMe. The withdrawal will first arrive at a US-based account designated by Sentai to facilitate transfer to Kyoto Animation’s designated account in Japan. Immediately following receipt of funds from GoFundMe, Sentai will transfer 100% of the funds to Kyoto Animation’s designated account. We will initiate this phase tomorrow, Wednesday, August 21, 2019 (CDT), and we will update you through this page when it is completed.
The second and final phase is transfer of the reserve. This is scheduled for 90 days after the completion of phase one. The reserve will be reconciled and the remaining amount transferred on or about 90 days following the completion of phase one. We will follow the same transfer process as described for the first phase. We will update you through this page when it is completed.
We have requested a formal confirmation by Mr. Okeda of receipt of funds. He has committed to doing so, and we will share that message with you through this page.
After the funds reach Kyoto Animation’s specified account, representatives of Kyoto Animation will distribute them to those in need according to their public pledge to do so. More specifically, Kyoto Animation has pledged that any funds received from this GoFundMe drive will go toward providing aid for 1) their lost co-workers, as well as their family and immediate relatives, and 2) their colleagues who remain hospitalized, as well as their family and immediate relatives. They have further committed as follows: “We consider transparency regarding these funds to be of top priority, and we will be reporting all income and expenditures. We are still in the process of determining the best way to report this information, but we will make an announcement once this has been finalized.”
To receive further updates about Kyoto Animation, its members, and its plans for the distribution of funds, please visit their webpage: http://www.kyotoanimation.co.jp/information/?id=3075
Thank you all for your continued support of Kyoto Animation.
1-AUGUST-2019
To our followers and supporters,
We extend our deepest thanks to everyone who has offered their support to the “Help KyoAni Heal” GoFundMe. Although this campaign will no longer accept donations after 11:59 PM CDT on July 31, 2019, we will keep this page visible as a testament to how you came together to surround Kyoto Animation with love, kindness and compassion when they needed it most.
The final withdrawal and distribution plan for this campaign’s funds is still taking shape, and our developing plans will be shared on this page as they are finalized. It takes time to determine a plan that considers the complexity of the situation at hand, but rest assured that behind the scenes works a team dedicated to delivering these funds in the most efficient and considerate way possible.
Stay tuned for future updates, and thank you again for the love you’ve shown to KyoAni. Please continue to keep KyoAni and those affected by this tragedy in your thoughts and prayers. We can’t change what happened. But together, in ways big and small, we’ve made a difference.
25-JULY-2019
Dear Supporters and Followers,
As you may already know, Kyoto Animation has opened an account to receive donations which they’ve shared via their official website (http://www.kyotoanimation.co.jp/information/?id=3075). We have been in contact with their representatives in Japan to finalize the details of delivering your generous donations made through this GoFundMe drive to the victims and their families.
Together we started this movement to help those in need. And together we’ve far exceeded that original goal with over $2 million in donations raised.
Even though the fundraising phase of this drive will conclude at the end of July, we won’t rest until your contributions reach the KyoAni victims and their families in a direct and meaningful way.
Donations made through this GoFundMe drive will not be touched until the details for distribution have been confirmed. We will continue working with KyoAni’s appointed representative and we will continue to provide updates as they become available. An update on this has been shared by KyoAni’s legal counsel through their social channel in Japanese (https://twitter.com/DaisukeP/status/1154181288183521280).
There are no words to describe the outpouring of love and appreciation our community has for the Kyoto Animation family. They know the world is supporting them, and we are dedicated to continuing that support in the days to come.
Thank you,
John Ledford
Sentai Filmworks
President
19-JULY-2019
Thanks to your incredible love, support and generosity, more than $1,000,000 has been raised in the hours since this GoFundMe drive was launched.
Since the studio’s founding in 1981, Kyoto Animation has touched the lives and inspired the imaginations of millions of people across the globe. KyoAni’s impeccable storytelling and beautiful animation have brought joy immeasurable to the anime community, and it is our honor to extend our hand to them in the wake of the recent attack.
As support continues to pour in from around the world, we remain dedicated to aiding those impacted by this tragedy in the most appropriate and effective ways possible.
We are actively working to establish the most direct bridge to delivering this aid to affected KyoAni staff and their families.
We established this GoFundMe drive to help build that bridge through all of your generous support. The funds pledged and collected through this drive will not be touched until we have confidence they will reach the intended recipients. We want donors and those considering donating to this drive to understand that, apart from GoFundMe’s fees to provide a platform for support, every dollar collected will go to the intended recipients.
Thank you for your continuing support.
18-JULY-2019
Thank you to everyone who has shown their support for those impacted by the tragedy at KyoAni. Together, we can bring light to this incredibly dark time. We are partnering with GoFundMe to ensure that the funds raised are safely distributed. The money will remain on hold while we coordinate how they will reach those in need. Please continue to share and donate, if you can.