Key Animator Departs MAPPA, Swears Off Collaboration Forever

MAPPA studio has long faced criticism from anime fans, but the situation escalated dramatically with the release of Jujutsu Kaisen season 2. The controversy intensified following the airing of episode 17, with numerous animators speaking out about MAPPA's production practices.

Renowned One Piece animator Vincent Chansard was among those who expressed concern. Despite his initial wariness of MAPPA projects, he gave it another chance, only to find that the company continued to subject its employees to harsh working conditions, prompting him to walk away.

Jujutsu Kaisen animator quits MAPPA after his second spell

Animator Vincent Chansard had sworn two years ago that he would never work on a MAPPA project again. However, with some free time before returning to Toei Animation, he decided to help out Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 episode 17 episode Director Hakuyu Go after careful consideration.

After his experience with MAPPA, Vincent vowed that his involvement with the company was finally over, as he did not want to work there again. As seen in his tweet, he was a Key Animator for the Sukuna vs Mahoraga fight and shared the drawings for Mahoraga's scene in the pool for episode 17.

The animator then shared the genga for the scenes he worked on, revealing that the total length of his animation is approximately 46 seconds. It's possible that the actual length is even longer. This segment includes Mahoraga's pool scene and Sukuna's relentless use of his Domain Expansion to attack Mahoraga. Judging by the final result, it's clear that Chansard is an exceptional animator.

However, the need for the Episode's Director to persuade the animator to join MAPPA speaks volumes about the company's reputation in the industry.

Mahoraga as seen in Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 episode 17 (Image via MAPPA)

Additionally, it is important to note that Vincent Chansard is not the only animator looking to leave their position at MAPPA. Several animators have taken to Twitter to claim that they threw away their identity cards after completing their work. Moreover, other animators have expressed their exhaustion by sharing mysterious tweets and images.

With animators distancing themselves from MAPPA, the studio may soon be forced to make significant decisions that could greatly impact the organization. As fans of anime are aware, MAPPA CEO Manabo Otsuka's goal is to elevate the studio to compete with industry giants such as Ufotable and Kyoto Animation. However, it took these studios decades to solidify their positions as industry leaders.

Ryomen Sukuna depicted in Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 episode 17 (Image via MAPPA)

With MAPPA animators appearing to no longer align with the company's objectives and policies, there is a significant possibility of the company losing talented animators and having to resort to less experienced ones. This potential scenario could significantly impact the studio's performance. The best course of action for MAPPA would be to accommodate the animators' requests in order to avoid a potential decline. However, the outcome of this situation is still uncertain.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z netizen, I have mixed feelings about the situation at MAPPA. On the one hand, I understand the animators' frustrations and concerns about the working conditions at the studio. Animators are often overworked and underpaid, and it's not fair that they're expected to work in such a demanding environment. On the other hand, I'm worried about the impact that this situation will have on the anime industry as a whole.

If MAPPA is forced to make significant changes to its production practices, it could set a precedent for other studios to follow. This could lead to a decline in the quality of anime overall, as studios are forced to cut corners in order to meet deadlines. In the end, I hope that MAPPA and its animators can come to an agreement that works for both parties. The anime industry is a vital part of Japanese culture, and it's important that we do everything we can to support it.