The Japanese portal Myjitsu shared an article pointing out the constant criticism of the animation staff towards the studios’ animation schedule MAPPA for the second season of Jujutsu Kaisen, which have increased in recent weeks. The article noted that, unfortunately, These comments do not resonate in Japan because “they are already used to reading them”.
«The anime “Jujutsu Kaisen” has dominated this Fall-2023 season (October-December), with its usual superiority in terms of plot and quality. However, it seems that rumors of labor exploitation have surfaced among fans outside of Japan regarding the animation studio, MAPPA. Currently, the second season is covering the “Shibuya Incident Arc”, one of the highlights of the original manga. Especially after Episode 33 where Satoru Gojo was finally sealed, the subsequent episodes have had great animation work one after another.».
«In particular, recent episodes have made it hard to believe that this is a television anime series, especially given its quality befitting a much larger project. The series, as usual, attracts attention thanks to its beautiful scenes. However, on the other hand, the circumstances of the animation workers participating in the project have generated controversy on social networks.».
«Itsuki Tsuchigami, animation director and storyboarder for Episode 40, although not directly listed in the credits, noted on Twitter that the work schedule prepared by MAPPA was “impossible to meet.” He also expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that the Jujutsu Kaisen episodes are widely acclaimed around the world, citing the company’s name, and saying that the employees were the ones who should be praised, not the company.».
«Furthermore, the complaints were not limited to the production schedule: “The sad part is that the salary is not special, in fact, the amount does not satisfy the responsibilities of the position. This dream is shit“, wrote».
«Besides, Souta Shigetsugu, who participated in the animation of the same episode, accused production staff of maintaining a vicious cycle of exploitation where animators strive to meet impossible production deadlines».
«An industry expert commented: “Anime fans in Japan are used to knowing about the poor working conditions of animators, so even if these types of accusations are made on social media, they go unnoticed. However, fans outside of Japan have a strong respect for the animators, and are also very sensitive to this type of information. Since Jujutsu Kaisen is a particularly prominent work abroad, it seems that MAPPA studios are harshly criticized“».
«Fans abroad have expressed opinions such as: “Studios that exploit their animators deserve no one’s gratitude” and “I hope working conditions in the anime industry improve.“. The interest has been such that the words “MAPPA” and “exploitation” are generally trending at the same time».
«The expert continued: “Labor exploitation of animators has been a problem since the premiere of Jujutsu Kaisen 0, which was released in December 2021. Furthermore, even before that, there were many widespread complaints towards the work environment at MAPPA. In recent years, MAPPA has produced anime series such as “Shingeki no Kyojin: The Final Season.” However, the entertainment staff is the last in the line of benefits achieved through these successes”».
Fountain: myjitsu
