MAPPA: A Tale of Criticism, Crunch... and Hope? ft @animangasis

Summary

The video script delves into the evolution of MAPPA, a leading Japanese animation studio, highlighting its rapid growth and impact on the anime industry. It explores the studio's challenges, including financial struggles, tight deadlines, and poor working conditions that have affected employees. The script also discusses the broader industry issues, such as production committees' influence and the need for sustainable practices to ensure quality and support for animators, concluding with a call for recognition and improvement in the industry.

Takeaways

• 🎨 MAPPA's rapid growth since its inception in 2011 reflects the studio's commitment to high-quality animation and innovation in the anime industry.
• 📚 The studio was founded by Masayo Maruyama, who was also a co-founder of Madhouse, and was created in response to Madhouse's financial struggles.
• 🌟 MAPPA's breakthrough hit 'Yuri on Ice' gained international popularity, highlighting the studio's ability to produce globally successful anime.
• 🕊️ Despite success, MAPPA's work environment has been criticized, with reports of tight deadlines, poor working conditions, and low pay for animators.
• 📈 The increase in MAPPA's size and number of projects has led to a reliance on freelance animators and outsourcing, which is unsustainable and stressful for employees.
• 💼 Production committees, which fund anime projects, often prioritize low investment and quick returns, leading to constraints on the studio's management and creative freedom.
• 💰 Low pay for animators is a significant issue, with some receiving as little as 3,800 to 7,000 yen per cut, affecting the quality of work and animator retention.
• 🛠️ The lack of proper training and development for in-house animators, coupled with a focus on meeting deadlines, results in a cycle of constant rework and dissatisfaction.
• 🚫 MAPPA's management has been criticized for not addressing the issues raised by employees, leading to a lack of trust and a negative work culture.
• 🌐 The global success of anime and the influx of investors, including China, is changing the landscape of the industry, with potential implications for production practices and quality.
• 🏗️ MAPPA has made efforts to improve the workplace environment, such as creating a studio annex, but challenges remain in balancing production demands with employee well-being.

Q & A

What is the significance of MAPPA's establishment in the anime industry?

MAPPA's establishment is significant as it quickly became a notable force in the anime industry, reflecting innovation and dedication to high-quality animation. It was founded by Masayo Maruyama, who was also a co-founder of Madhouse, another renowned anime studio.

Why was MAPPA created by Masayo Maruyama?

MAPPA was created because Madhouse, where Maruyama was a co-founder and producer, was facing financial difficulties that hindered his plans to produce a movie called 'In This Corner of the World.' He believed moving to a new studio would provide the opportunity to work on the film.

What was MAPPA's first debut work and when did it air?

MAPPA's first debut work was an adaptation of the manga 'Kids on Slope,' which aired from April to June of 2012.

How did Yuri on Ice contribute to MAPPA's success?

Yuri on Ice was a breakthrough hit for MAPPA in 2016, gaining not only popularity in Japan but also becoming an international sensation, with its theme song being widely recognized and appreciated.

What changes in the work environment did MAPPA's employees start to notice after the studio's success?

After MAPPA's success, employees began to notice tighter deadlines and less than ideal working conditions, indicating a shift in the studio's work environment.

What is a production committee in the context of anime production?

A production committee is a group of companies that fund an anime project. The studio making the anime often holds little to no stake in the committee, which can lead to issues such as lack of control over their own projects.

How has the increase in MAPPA's size and number of ongoing projects affected its operations?

The increase in size and projects has led to a reliance on freelance animators and outsourcing, which is unsustainable and puts additional strain on employees, affecting the quality of work and working conditions.

What are the implications of low pay for MAPPA's animators?

Low pay for animators at MAPPA, especially when working on high-profile projects like those with Netflix, leads to dissatisfaction and challenges in maintaining a motivated and skilled workforce.

Why did MAPPA's director Ryu Nakayama leave to create his own studio?

Ryu Nakayama left MAPPA to create his own studio with the aim of building a better working environment free from harassment and unnecessary stress, with financial and time stability, indicating dissatisfaction with MAPPA's work conditions.

How did the production of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 highlight issues within MAPPA?

The production of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 brought to light issues such as impossible deadlines, low pay, and poor working conditions, as animators expressed their frustration on social media and requested improvements.

What steps has MAPPA taken to improve the workplace environment and animator retention?

MAPPA has made efforts to improve the workplace environment by creating a studio annex building equipped with quality drawing tools and an animator's village, and has increased pay for full-time animators to be more competitive with industry standards.

What is the broader context of the anime industry's impact on its workers?

The anime industry as a whole faces issues such as poor working conditions, tight deadlines, and low pay, which affect the well-being of its workers and the quality of the final product. Studios like Kyoto Animation are highlighted as exceptions with better practices.

Outlines

00:00

🎨 The Evolution and Challenges of MAPPA Studio

This paragraph delves into the history and growth of MAPPA, a prominent Japanese animation studio, highlighting its inception by Masayo Maruyama, a former Madhouse producer. The narrative discusses MAPPA's early projects, including 'Kids on Slope' and 'Terror in Resonance,' leading to its international breakthrough with 'Yuri on Ice.' It also touches on the increasing work pressure and deteriorating conditions faced by employees, with a spotlight on the studio's reliance on freelance animators and outsourcing, which has contributed to a strained work environment.

05:02

🛠️ The Impact of Production Committees and Financial Constraints on MAPPA

The second paragraph examines the influence of production committees on MAPPA's operations and the financial pressures affecting the studio. It explains how the committees' desire for minimal investment and quick returns creates a challenging environment for the studio, often leading to tight deadlines and low pay for animators. The summary also covers the departure of key personnel, such as director Ryu Nakayama, and the internal struggles animators face, including the lack of training and the need to fix issues arising from outsourcing and inadequate budgets.

10:03

🌐 The State of the Anime Industry and MAPPA's Future

The final paragraph reflects on the broader implications of the challenges faced by MAPPA, considering the state of the anime industry as a whole. It contrasts MAPPA's situation with more sustainable practices observed at Kyoto Animation, which prioritizes staff training and quality over quantity. The summary acknowledges MAPPA's efforts to improve working conditions, such as the creation of a studio annex, and discusses the potential for the industry to evolve, with a note on the increasing role of Chinese investment. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of recognizing the human effort behind anime production and the need for change to ensure the well-being of the artists who create it.

Keywords

💡MAPPA

MAPPA is a renowned Japanese animation studio that has become a significant force in the anime industry since its establishment in 2011. It is known for its rapid growth and high-quality animation, contributing to the field with notable works such as 'Yuri on Ice' and 'Jujutsu Kaisen'. The studio's history reflects innovation and dedication, and it has faced challenges like financial difficulties and tight deadlines, which are indicative of broader issues within the anime production landscape.

💡Anime Production

Anime production refers to the process of creating animated television shows or films, which is a central theme of the video. The video discusses the evolution of this process, particularly at MAPPA, where the studio has seen a rapid increase in the number of ongoing projects, leading to tighter deadlines and increased stress on workers. The video also touches on the broader implications of the current state of anime production on the industry's future.

💡Production Committees

Production committees are groups of companies that fund anime projects. They are a key aspect of the anime industry's financial structure, as they determine the budget and timeline for productions. The video explains how these committees often prioritize low investment and quick returns, which can lead to tight deadlines and poor working conditions for animators, as seen in the case of MAPPA.

💡Work Environment

The work environment at MAPPA and other anime studios is a significant focus of the video. It discusses how the rapid growth in projects and reliance on freelance animators have led to tighter deadlines, high expectations, and poor working conditions. The video also mentions how this environment has affected employee morale and led to a high turnover rate, with some animators leaving to create their own studios.

💡Outsourcing

Outsourcing is a practice where companies contract work to external providers rather than completing it in-house. The video describes how MAPPA's reliance on outsourcing has increased due to a lack of full-time animators, which can lead to a strain on employees as they have to manage additional workloads and maintain quality standards.

💡Animators

Animators are the artists responsible for creating the moving images in anime. The video highlights the challenges faced by animators at MAPPA, including low pay, long hours, and high stress due to tight deadlines. It also discusses how these conditions can lead to burnout and dissatisfaction, affecting the quality of work and the overall health of the industry.

💡Financial Difficulties

Financial difficulties are a recurring theme in the video, particularly in the context of MAPPA's early years and the broader anime industry. The video explains how these difficulties can lead to projects being delayed or canceled, and how they impact the working conditions and compensation for animators.

💡In-House Animators

In-house animators are full-time employees of an animation studio. The video discusses the importance of nurturing and retaining in-house talent, as opposed to relying on freelance animators. It contrasts this with the outsourcing model, which can lead to a lack of continuity and quality control in productions.

💡Quality vs. Quota

The video contrasts the focus on quality animation with the pressure to meet quotas and deadlines. It suggests that a sustainable approach to anime production would prioritize the development of skilled animators and a nurturing work environment, rather than pushing for high output at the expense of quality.

💡Industry Practices

Industry practices refer to the standard methods and procedures followed in the anime production industry. The video critiques certain practices, such as low pay and tight deadlines, which can harm workers and the quality of the final product. It calls for a reevaluation of these practices to improve the industry's sustainability and the well-being of its workers.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability in the context of the video refers to the long-term viability of the anime industry's practices, particularly in terms of workforce management and production methods. It suggests that for the industry to thrive, it must adopt practices that support the well-being of its workers and ensure the quality of its output, rather than focusing solely on short-term gains.

Highlights

Studio MAPPA's history reflects rapid growth and dedication to high-quality animation since its inception in 2011.

MAPPA was founded by Masayo Maruyama, also a co-founder of Madhouse, after facing financial difficulties there.

The studio's first work was 'Kids on Slope', and its first original anime was 'Terror in Resonance'.

MAPPA's international breakthrough came with the hit anime 'Yuri on Ice'.

Reports indicate a shift in work environment at MAPPA with tighter deadlines and poor working conditions.

MAPPA's reliance on freelance animators and outsourcing has led to unsustainable practices and employee strain.

Production committees' investment strategies and demands for quick returns put pressure on studios like MAPPA.

Animators at MAPPA report low pay, with some receiving half of what was promised for their work.

The production of 'Attack on Titan' saw animators leave due to unhealthy work conditions.

MAPPA's attempt to improve the workplace environment included creating a studio annex building.

The absence of a production committee for 'Chainsaw Man' exposed issues with MAPPA's management.

Directors leaving MAPPA to create their own studios indicate issues with employee retention and work culture.

Animators have expressed frustration with the unrealistic deadlines and poor pay during 'Jujutsu Kaisen' production.

MAPPA's CEO acknowledges the need to improve work conditions and training for long-term employee retention.

The anime industry's boom is attracting investors, but the state of the industry as a whole remains poor.

Kyoto Animation serves as an example of a studio that prioritizes training and nurturing staff with a better work environment.

MAPPA's modern efforts include paying full-time animators more, with entry-level positions offering competitive wages.

Transcripts

The production history of this string of

anime reveals a lot, not just about MAPPA,

but the current state of anime production,

where it's going, and maybe even a thing

or two about the complexity of the world

economy. Let's dive in. Studio MAPPA, a

renowned Japanese animation studio, has

become a significant force in the anime

industry since its inception. Its history

is marked by rapid growth and notable

contributions to the field, reflecting

both innovation and dedication to high

-quality animation. The studio was first

established on June 14, 2011 by Masayo

Maruyama at the age of 70. If his name

sounds familiar to you, that's because

this man was also the co-founder and

former producer of Madhouse, another anime

studio known for adaptations of works like

Nana, Death Note, and Monster. You see,

the reason why MAPPA was created was

because around this time, Madhouse was

facing financial difficulties, which was

getting in the way of Maruyama's plans of

producing a movie called In This Corner of

a World. By moving studios, they felt

they'd be given the opportunity to work on

it, which is ironic because the film is

released years later due to more financial

issues. Still a great film, though.

Definitely check it out. While this movie

was taking its time in development, it

gave MAPPA time to work on other projects.

Their first debut work was an adaptation

of a manga called Kids on Slope, which

aired from April to June of 2012. Their

first original anime was Terror in

Resonance, released in 2014. Eventually,

though, in 2016, they had their

breakthrough hit with the anime Yuri on

Ice. This anime wasn't just popular in

Japan, it was an international hit. Like,

low-key, you could not escape the theme

song around its time. I'm speaking from

experience. Another hit anime, Banana

Fish, was released in 2018. Now, while the

success was great for the company, its

workers would soon start to notice a shift

in change of the work environment. Reports

were stating that deadlines were becoming

much tighter, and working conditions were

not exactly ideal. However, it would be

nothing compared to the later works the

studio would put out. With works like

Chainsaw Man, Jujutsu Kaisen, Attack on

Titan Season 4, Hell's Paradise, and more

being released by the studio, the stress

only grew more for the workers. The tight

deadlines, the high expectations, the poor

working conditions, and not-so-good pay.

So how are employees affected by this?

We'll let Corvu explain this for you guys.

Looking at MAPPA as if we were an

employee is the best way to get an

understanding of the workplace culture and

identify what their biggest concerns are.

Many of the claims I'll mention were made

by actual members of the anime industry.

Most of them were deleted shortly after,

but keep in mind that several animators

have periodically made similar claims.

The way MAPPA operates has been changing over

time, but the point where we saw the most

dramatic shift starts around early 2017.

This loosely coincides with the rapid

increase in size and number of ongoing

projects. It also follows a change in

management, with Maruyama stepping down

from being president the year before. They

had around 80 full-time employees back

then, but just 11 of those were animators

and 26 worked on CGI, compositing, and

other similar roles. This means the

company had to rely on freelance animators

and outsourcing, potentially more

convenient for the company in the short

run, but it's unsustainable and puts added

strain on employees. By 2020, MAPPA's

staff count was over 200 and it was now

one of the largest anime studios. Work

output more than doubled at the same time.

Despite their size and reputation, MAPPA

doesn't usually have much control over

their own projects. To explain this, I

need to introduce the idea of production

committees. This is the group of companies

that are actually funding an anime

project. It isn't uncommon in the industry

to see the actual anime studio making the

thing hold little to no stake in the

committee, which can cause some problems.

The ownership of the project isn't equal.

The first company listed in the committee

has the largest stake. They funded the

project the most. In 2017, MAPPA was on

the committee for one of their anime, one

again in 2018, two in 2019, and three in

2020. Note where they rank in these lists

as well. This is where the problem comes

in. Production committees want to invest

as little as possible in order to maximize

their profits. They also want their

product as soon as possible. At the same

time, the studios are accepting the

smaller investments so that they actually

have a job to do. Therefore, MAPPA is

usually constrained in terms of their

management concerns with their projects.

Which brings us to the low pay problem.

According to animator Ippei Ichii, a MAPPA

animator working on a Netflix anime gets

around 3,800 to 7,000 yen per cut. They

clarify that the problem they have is with

Netflix. They don't like that they've

started to place orders at such low rates,

which is interesting. For the longest

time, Netflix was the only producer who

didn't budget so low. They're now par for

the course, alongside all of the other

Japanese investors. This also extends to

senior members. Veteran Hisashi Iguchi

reportedly made a series of complaints

about low wages, and was even paid half of

what he was promised for one of his

projects. Such a tight budget has major

implications for workloads. Add in some

strict deadlines, and we're looking at an

incredibly painful situation. Enter Attack

on Titan. These accounts come from

freelance animator Mushiyo, who had to

leave AOT's production due to unhealthy

work conditions mid-run. I'm really

feeling this. It made me question why I

even worked so hard to join the company.

Why do we as employees have to fix the

messy keyframes and animations that seem

to come from random overseas sources every

single week until morning? This was one of

the reasons I considered quitting. I'm

here if they really focus on developing in

-house animators, but of course, there's

no time or leeway for that. I mean, with

four projects happening at once, there's

no time to teach, right? It feels like all

that the juniors do is retakes, like

fixing button patterns or smoothing out

jagged lines in 3D CG. It's more like

factory work, and I started to question

why I'm even here. The higher-ups always

talk about having pride and so on, which

feels like brainwashing to me. I don't

think everyone feels this way, but from

what I've heard, about 80% of employees

were complaining like this back then.

Mushio described a cycle where they're

constantly fixing issues due to lack of

proper training and outsourcing, but they

don't have time to properly train since

they're short on staff just trying to

complete the demanding schedule on a lower

budget than appropriate. The problem only

got worse with Jujutsu Kaisen Zero.

According to animator HoneHone, the worst

thing is that the staff works hard to

complete a schedule that would be

impossible to meet in time normally, then

the higher-ups look at the results and

fail to make any improvements. I guess the

behaviour began when we completed a movie

in four months. Note that this is also

talking about JJK Season 2.

What if we

gave MAPPA more control? Chainsaw Man is

actually a good example of this. This

anime had no production committee, which

means 100% of the cost was on MAPPA. This

scenario exposes some other issues. The

reasons are kind of vague, but Chainsaw

Man's director, Ryu Nakayama, left MAPPA

to create his own studio. He posted this

to Twitter.

The mission this year is to build a better working

environment free from power harassment and

moral harassment, without unnecessary stress

and with financial and time stability.

It's still on a small scale, but we're gradually

shaping it.

Gives an idea as to why he left at least.

This was actually the second time a

director left MAPPA to make their

own studio. They can't retain employees

and freelancers across multiple

levels of their company.

What makes this worse is that Nakayama was

the guy MAPPA wanted to help change things

for the better, from one of his blog

posts:

Originally, I personally intended to

recruit freelance staff, but after discussing

it with MAPPA, and to create an environment where

applicants can relax and dig into their work,

we decided to officially recruit employees,

what we want to recruit this time is digital

animators that want to work on the Nakayama Ryu

production line for the long term.

Also, this is not for animators that live overseas.

Those can work as freelance animators,

so please send in your portfolio or reel.

If Nakayama eventually said this and ended

up leaving, things went really wrong

somewhere. Animator Shinsaku Kozuma gives

us a little bit more info on Chainsaw

Man's production.

This version of Chainsaw Man wasn't what we

wanted to create, that's the real truth.

I'm saying this as the guy who lost his temper

and got into an argument during episode one

We've now seen comments about mistreating

employees, impossible deadlines and bad pay.

As MAPPA continued to make anime under these conditions

an inevitable twitter meltdown occured

partway through JJK Season 2's airing,

tons of MAPPA animators came out to

express their frustration with their

circumstances. Bad news has come in and

it's made me feel suddenly deflated. The

most boring ending I can think of. Ah, the

festival's over. Okay, let's disband. The

famous "It's Over" tweet. Prominent animator

Itsuki Tsuchigami: I didn't think so much

about the previous work, but it makes me

really uncomfortable to hear people praise

the company's name for good things about

the current work. Those who should be

praised are the director, who moved around

to gather outside contractors and people,

and each department within the company,

including production and filming, who

persevered. Episode 13 director and

storyboarder Arai Kazuto revealed that the

episode staff requested a delay from the

production committee, but it was obviously

denied. Several episodes were reportedly

finished just a few hours before they

aired on TV. This is just progressively

getting worse. One of these future

productions could end up being an even

bigger animation disaster.

I feel like we

have normalized talking down on other

people's works so much on social media

that criticism and straight up harassment

are no longer separate things. If you've

been in places like Twitter, you've most

likely witnessed animators venting about

how they are treated, and it's honestly

heartbreaking. People complain about the

quality of animation when they forget that

anime is not being produced by one giant

computer. No, these are people with lives,

people with families who they want to

provide for, people paying taxes just like

you and me, people going out of their way

in comfort zone to make sure you get your

weekly entertainment, and they are losing

sleep over it. As an artist myself, I

think it's important to acknowledge the

disrespect that these people constantly

have to hear and take every day. I mean,

it's not easy going on social media and

probably seeing someone trash talk your

work. Let's remember that anime would not

be here without these guys. You would not

have these amazing works like Chainsaw Man

and Jujutsu Kaisen, no. You would not have

them if it weren't for these people who

are once again spending their lives making

entertainment for you. And while I know

supporting these workers means you do have

to support MAPPA technically, let's just

acknowledge what they go through and let's

acknowledge that stuff like this really

does take time to make.

MAPPA is just one

example of how anime industry practices

hurt people and the product. But does it

have to be like this? Some studios have

been able to avoid major issues actually.

Kyoto Animation might be the best example.

They can produce high quality animation,

they have a work environment that

prioritizes training and nurturing staff,

and their animators are salaried in an

effort to focus on quality rather than

quota. We can't ignore their standings in

their production committees too. They're

usually near the top, giving them more

control over their own projects. But they

obviously don't produce anime at the rate

MAPPA does. Interestingly enough, MAPPA's

CEO has said they want to keep up their

rate of production while trying to match

the quality of studios like KyoAni and

Ufotable. But actually remaining

competitive would require sustainability.

You need to attract skilled animators, get

them to stay with the company, and nurture

those with potential. Something that

doesn't look possible without proper

training programs and better pay. To

MAPPA's credit, they do seem to be aware

of this. In 2021, they created their

studio annex building in an effort to

improve the workplace environment. This

approach feels very similar to what Big

Tech does, if you know what I mean. MAPPA

equipped this place with quality drawing

tools, an open lounge space, and something

they call an animator's village, which

includes shops and cafes. Chainsaw Man was

made there, and you know how that went.

But they're not giving up. Modern day

MAPPA actually pays their full-time

animators more. New listings from late

2023 revealed that entry-level animators

are offered a monthly wage of about 240k

yen. This is on the higher end of what the

industry pays. While the whole JJK season

2 thing was not reassuring at all, there

was an attempt to train employees for long

-term retention with Chainsaw Man. They

could and should try again. MAPPA could go

either way when it comes to improving

management and work conditions, but it's a

complicated problem with many external

factors acting on the system. Anime is

making money, and this boom is attracting

more investors. MAPPA founder Maruyama

thinks China could overtake Japan in this

business. In the end, improvement is sort

of capped by the state of the industry as

a whole, and the industry is poor.

Problems at MAPPA aren't exclusive to

MAPPA. There's a video by the Animator

Dormitory channel I highly recommend

checking out. It's a translation of a

statement made by Toshio Okada, the co

-founder of Gainax. He talks about the

issues with production committees that

I've discussed here in more depth. And

thank you to Emi-chan for collaborating on

this video. We did a previous collab

that's on screen now. Check out her

channel too, and stay tuned for more.