Hideaki Hatta, the longtime president and co-founder of Kyoto Animation, died on February 16, 2026, due to illness. He was 76. The studio announced his passing in an official statement, expressing deep gratitude for the support shown to him during his lifetime. Funeral services were held privately with family members, and the company requested that flowers, condolence money, and visits be respectfully declined. Hatta had led Kyoto Animation for more than four decades since its formal establishme...