Blue Lock Season 2 Animator Explains Alleged Animation Quality Issues

Critics have labeled the second season of Blue Lock a major setback, with many viewers likening it to a “PowerPoint presentation.”While the specifics behind its perceived shortcomings were not immediately clear, one animator from the series recently opened up about the stark realities faced within the Japanese animation sector, underlining how financial limitations can severely affect production quality.

In a TikTok video, animator Martin Reyes revealed that he was tasked with creating five episodes under tight deadlines and for minimal pay, which contributed to the lackluster animation seen in the show. Ultimately, he left the project after completing just one episode.

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author only.

Animator for Blue Lock Season 2 discusses the troubling production issues behind the sequel

Martin Reyes, who contributed to episode 2 of Blue Lock season 2, shared insights on his TikTok regarding the subpar animation quality. After starting just a month ago, he was responsible for managing 20 cuts in episode 2 amidst the challenge of working on five episodes simultaneously.

The situation became dire when Martin mentioned that the animators were compensated with minimal wages and faced with extremely limited time to complete their tasks. Nevertheless, Reyes and the other talented animators did what they could under these constraints.

Reyes pointed out that his work ended up being drastically changed, with many of his animated movements cut down, resulting in sequences that resembled still images rather than fluid motion. He refrained from blaming the studio or production team directly but instead highlighted the pervasive problems throughout the Japanese animation industry.

Referencing the controversies surrounding Jujutsu Kaisen season 2, Martin emphasized that production companies often prioritize profit over the welfare of animators, leading to these challenging circumstances.

Concluding his video, Reyes recounted his initial commitment to animate more episodes, but after seeing his thorough efforts reduced to mere static images, he decided to step away from the anime sequel, as he did not want to be associated with work that he felt lacked artistic pride.

Concluding thoughts

A glitchy panel of Shidou as seen in the anime (Image via 8bit)

In light of the Uzumaki anime adaptation, which endured almost five years of production and echoed similar issues faced by Blue Lock season 2, many observers worry about the future of the Japanese animation industry. The troubles experienced at MAPPA with Jujutsu Kaisen season 2 seem to resonate repeatedly, drawing attention to the ongoing neglect of animator well-being.

These concerns were echoed by Masao Maruyama, the MAPPA studio founder and industry veteran, who boldly claimed that China is poised to surpass Japan in animation due to their investments in animator welfare, a tradition that appears to be fading in the country’s anime heartland.

Moreover, veteran animator Yoshiyuki Tomino, creator of the Gundam franchise, reinforced the urgency of the situation, warning that Japan risks losing its animation leadership if it continues to view anime solely through a financial lens.

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