Earlier this month, Makoto Kimura, who held top positions at studio MAPPA, like executive director, rights management director, and producer, shared that he retired from MAPPA by the end of March.

He’s now exploring a new venture called Blue Rights, focusing on anime planning. Blue Rights won’t just stick to anime; it aims to branch out into manga, novels, music, events, and more.

Kimura is in charge as the representative director. Kimura decided to start Blue Rights because he noticed the growing love for anime worldwide.

He’s been with MAPPA since 2018, wearing different hats like director, producer, and rights management director. That last role had him handling money matters and licensing for anime.

He played a big part in getting funds for the Chainsaw Man anime and organized exhibitions for MAPPA, Chainsaw Man, and Jujutsu Kaisen.

Before MAPPA, he worked at Twin Engine, a company focused on anime planning and production. Plus, he produced anime for Fuji TV’s Noitamina late-night anime lineup, starting in 2007.

Why Makoto Kimura Left MAPPA?

In an interview, Kimura expressed satisfaction with his time at MAPPA. He revealed that he had achieved his goals there.

He believes MAPPA will keep growing, but he’s ready for a bigger challenge with Blue Rights. One of his big wins at MAPPA was securing the rights for Chainsaw Man without needing a production committee.

Although it was tough negotiating those rights, especially with MAPPA handling everything alone, Kimura leaves behind a strong licensing team to keep MAPPA moving forward.