A One Piece animator has come forward to support the MAPPA studio, amid controversy over the issue of working conditions during anime productions.
One of the biggest anime releases of the year has been making headlines lately, but not always for the right reasons: because if Jujutsu Kaisen indeed offered a gripping season 2 with stunning animation to adapt the manga by Gege Akutami, it seems that working conditions within the studio in charge were difficult for employees.
Vincent Chansard, one of the most renowned One Piece animators, also worked on the Sukuna vs. Makora (or Mahoraga) episode of Jujutsu Kaisen. And the verdict was clear for him: although the episode was warmly received by fans,the host had decided not to return to work for MAPPA, evoking the problems of a very tight schedule.
The French host’s statement in his latest podcast attracted some attention amid so much backlash. While many people support his comments on the need for studios to be more respectful of their employees, the same is not true for everyone. And it was even another One Piece host, Mamoru Yokota, who decided to speak out to defend MAPPA.
One Piece host who disagrees with Vincent Chansard’s criticism on MAPPA
The hosts Dorian Coulon and Vincent Chansard recently participated in a podcast for the KonohaTV channel, in which the conditions of work at MAPPA. Vincent Chansard explained that he no longer wanted to work for a company that had such little regard for the well-being of its employees.
And in response to the statement, Mamoru Yokota posted on Twitter/X: “The statement of a foreign host who decided to stop working for this company! We talk about the work environment and others, but did the discussion at the time of the order mention all that? Was there any information revealed after the fact? If the content of the work remained appropriate, is it really the fault of the production company, or rather that of the director, the producer and the production committee? If it’s a matter of cost cutting, delays or cheating, that’s one thing, but otherwise it’s questionable.”
In another post, Yokota added: “If you want to create a popular adaptation, if you want to do Japanese work, there are cultural and financial differences depending on the country. I have to think about it too. I’m within the norm! But if you say such things, why not start your own company and use it as a standard-bearer for the workplace environment? That’s what I said to someone one day, he got angry.”
The trend among fans, however, seems to be leaning in favor of the animators having complained about working conditions at MAPPA, denouncing the poor calendar management.
And even Niishi Terumi, animator for the film Jujutsu Kaisen 0, considered Vincent Chansard’s statement as “refreshing” , issuing the wish that more people would speak out in the animation industry.
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