A Japanese court has sentenced a man to death for the arson attack that killed 36 employees at a famous animation studio in Kyoto. The number of deaths is the largest on record in a criminal trial in the country in more than three decades.

Prosecutors charged Aoba Shinji with murder and arson after he doused Kyoto Animation's studio with gasoline and started a fire in July 2019. The attack left 32 others injured. The company is known for "Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya," "Violet Evergarden" and other anime hits.

Presiding judge Masuda Keisuke ruled Aoba guilty at the Kyoto District Court on Thursday. Masuda said Aoba was neither insane nor had diminished capacity.

He pointed out that Aoba hesitated to commit the crime right before it happened and was also acting as if he was avoiding people's eyes. He said Aoba carried out the crime on his own will, out of his grudge against Kyoto Animation. Masuda said it is way too grave and tragic that 36 people died and the victims' terror and pain are beyond description.

Prosecutors had demanded the death penalty, arguing Aoba is mentally competent to take responsibility for the attack. They say his delusion that Kyoto Animation plagiarized his work influenced his motive, but it was limited.

The defense lawyers said Aoba suffered a mental disorder, and he cannot be held criminally responsible.