In recent developments, the announcement of a new anime titled “Zenshu” from studio MAPPA has not only piqued interest but also sparked a considerable amount of discussion regarding its narrative and protagonist.
MAPPA, renowned for producing acclaimed series such as Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on Titan: The Final Season, and Chainsaw Man, has been embroiled in controversy over the past few months due to several animators voicing their grievances about working conditions, especially during the production of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2.
The issue gained significant traction in October 2023 and continued to be a focal point of concern, with accusations against MAPPA for imposing excessively strenuous workloads on its animators, pushing them to their limits both physically and mentally.
Prominent industry professional Vincent Chansard, who contributed to the particularly notable Episode 17 of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, declared it would be his final project with the studio.
This stance was amidst the backdrop of MAPPA’s announcement of a sequel to JJK in December, which instead of excitement, stirred conversations about the studio’s harsh employment conditions.
Related to this, veteran animator Shinsaku Kozuma offered a playful yet pointed remark about the notorious production challenges faced during Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 at MAPPA.
The release of the Zenshu trailer has reignited criticisms towards the studio. The series centers on Natsuko Hirose, who, after finishing high school, embarks on a career as an animator. Her exceptional talent quickly propels her to a directorial position for a romantic comedy about first love.
Yet, without personal experience in love, Natsuko finds herself at a loss on how to authentically portray the story, causing delays in her film’s production. The trailer depicts her sharply commanding her animation team to “redo everything,” though without offering clear direction.
Fans Reaction to This:
This storyline has elicited a wave of ironic comments on X (previously known as Twitter), with both Japanese and English-speaking audiences highlighting the paradox of MAPPA producing an anime that mirrors its internal issues.
Comments range from humorous jabs like,
“Mappa said to animators: you can’t speak about your struggle in social media. You can speak through our new anime. Now go animate the damn thing,”
to more critical ones such as,
“An anime about mappa animators animated by mappa animators. A cry for help,”
and straightforward criticisms like,
“Exploit your employee: the anime”
“How about you don’t overwork your animators instead?,”
culminating in the succinct, “Shameless.” These reactions have also spawned a variety of sarcastic memes.
Another related voice in the industry, Terumi Nishii, who has over two decades of experience as an animator, sheds light on the challenging conditions faced by full-time animators in Japan’s modern anime industry.
Zenshu is under the direction of Mitsue Yamazaki, known for her work on Gekkan Shojo Nozaki-kun, and episodes of Attack on Titan: The Final Season, Bleach, and Mawaru Penguindrum, with Kimiko Ueno handling script duties, having previously contributed to Carole & Tuesday, Yurei Deco, and Delicious in Dungeon.
The series will showcase character designs adapted by Kayoko Ishikawa, serving as the chief animation director (notable works include Sarazanmai and Maboroshi), and music composed by Yukari Hashimoto (famous for Toradora!, March Comes in Like a Lion, Komi Can’t Communicate). A release date for Zenshu has not been announced yet.