Right now, Mappa is the center of controversy, as animators are coming up, one by one, to expose the “hellish” environment they have to work in. Despite animating some of the finest animated series like Jujutsu Kaisen and Attack On Titan, the behind-the-scenes seem dark.
Jujutsu Kaisen Animator Exposes Mappa’s “Hellish” Schedule To Complete The Series
It is not the first time Mappa has been in controversy with its brutal schedule. From the very start of Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, animators have come forward accusing Mappa of forcing them to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement and not reveal any information regarding the bad working conditions. This could also lead to a plausible delay in Season 3 as the animators have decided not to put up with the harsh conditions at work anymore. There have been plenty of similar complaints against Mappa over the years.
So what happened this time? According to a recent Twitter post by a Jujutsu Kaisen animator, HoneHone, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 has been one hell of a journey as the executives say this inhumane scheduling could be done again. Meeting an impossible deadline and maintaining top quality, which Mappa Studios is known for, is no joke, and apparently, Mappa Studios is not paying any heed to their employee demands.
The worst thing is when all the staff work hard to complete a schedule that would normally be impossible to meet in time, and the people above them look at the results and think, “I can’t say anything!” and fail to make improvements. I guess the cycle started when I completed one movie in four months…
@Hone_honeHONE
The post also talked about how the animators were forced to complete the Jujutsu Kaisen 0 movie within four months, which seems inhumanely insane. There have been reports of many Jujutsu Kaisen staff leaving the company right after Season 1 due to poor working conditions. Few fans even believe that former director Sunghoo Park left Mappa Studios due to these scheduling problems and inhumane work pressure.
普通に考えたら到底間に合わせられないスケジュールをスタッフ全員が地獄を見ながら何とか完成させて、その結果だけ見た上の人たちが「なんだかんだ言って出来んじゃん！」と勘違いして改善を怠る最悪の循環
始まりは4ヶ月で映画を一本完成させてしまったことなんだろうな…— ホネほね (@Hone_honeHONE) November 11, 2023
In recent years, Mappa has been a lot busier than before with various projects like Attack On Titan Season 4 Part 3, Hell’s Paradise, Alice Illusion Factory movie, Chainsaw Man, Zombieland Saga, Vinland Saga Season 2, and more. Rumor has it that Mappa is trying to bag One Punch Man Season 3. Even though the studio is engaged in many projects simultaneously, the animators are severely underpaid and overworked.
Mappa has a collection of the finest lot of animators producing top-class anime series for our entertainment. But at what cost? Under those bright, flashy appearances, the anime industry is notorious for having a toxic work environment, overlooking basic human rights. It is evident that many people are talking about how problematic the situation is and are coming out with their narratives. We believe that with this, the glamorization of “hard work” in the name of underpaid overwork will eventually cease.
