MAPPA

• 1. The 70-Year-Old Founder

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  MAPPA opened its doors on the 14th of June 2011 in Suginami, Tokyo. Masao Maruyama founded the studio at the age of 70 after leaving Madhouse. His initial goal was to produce Sunao Katabuchi's film In This Corner of the World. Financial difficulties at his previous company forced him and Katabuchi to establish a new entity for this project. They began working together in 2010 during their time at Madhouse but could not start production immediately. Raising funds took three years before they could finally begin making the movie. The film faced significant production troubles even after MAPPA moved studios. It did not release until five years later than originally planned.

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• 2. Satellite Studios And Regional Talent

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  The studio expanded beyond its Nakano headquarters with a satellite office in Sendai. This facility opened in April 2018 to specialize in in-betweening and finishing work. A second location followed in Osaka in March 2022 focusing on 3DCGI tasks. These moves aimed to decentralize animation production away from Tokyo. The strategy sought to bring opportunities to graduates of local vocational schools without forcing them to relocate. The Sendai studio handles processes like digital painting while the Osaka office employs 3D CG section artists. Future plans include establishing background art sections and Animation Departments within these regional hubs. The head office retains responsibility for rights division, planning, and development departments.

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• 3. A Portfolio Of Hit Series

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  MAPPA produced Terror in Resonance in 2014 under director Shinichiro Watanabe. Yuri!!! on Ice arrived in 2016 as an original work directed by Sayo Yamamoto. The studio took over Attack on Titan season 4 in 2020 following Yuichiro Hayashi's direction. Chainsaw Man premiered in 2022 with Ryū Nakayama at the helm. Jujutsu Kaisen became a major hit starting in 2020 with Sunghoo Park directing. Vinland Saga season two aired in 2023 under Shūhei Yabuta. Dorohedoro ran from 2020 to 2021 before receiving a second season announcement. Zombie Land Saga began its run in 2018 with Munehisa Sakai directing. The studio also handled Ranma ½ in 2024 and released Bucchigiri?! that same year. Their filmography includes Kakegurui, Banana Fish, and Hell's Paradise: Jigokuraku among many others.

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• 4. Leadership Changes And Succession

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  Masao Maruyama resigned as CEO of MAPPA in April 2016. He stepped down to become chairman while establishing Studio M2 for his next project Pluto. Animation producer Manabu Otsuka took over as CEO after Maruyama's official departure. Otsuka was a founding member of MAPPA and previously worked at Studio 4°C. In September 2019, Otsuka established Animation Studio Contrail to produce director Sunao Katabuchi's next work. He served as president for this new entity. Hiroya Hasegawa became executive vice president in 2024. Yasuteru Iwase left the company in 2025 after serving as board director since 2024. Yuusuke Tannawa joined the board in 2024 alongside Shuuhei Yabuta and Kousuke Hosokai. Eiji Matsuo assumed the role of chief rights officer in 2024.

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• 5. Scrutiny Over Working Conditions

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  Veteran animator Hisashi Eguchi criticized MAPPA for offering low pay to its workers. Animator Mushiyo quit the studio citing a culture of overwork and lack of proper training. These animators also condemned the decision to produce four series concurrently. Kevin Cirugeda from Sakugablog attributed these issues to the studio's incredibly fast-paced growth. He described their expansion strategy as reckless. MAPPA denied offering unreasonable compensation to creators in response to these claims. Animator Ippei Ichii claimed that an anime produced by MAPPA under Netflix suggested a pay rate per cut. He argued that this amount was below the minimum cost animators should negotiate. The controversy highlighted tensions between rapid production schedules and worker welfare within the industry.

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• 6. Diversified Ventures And Music Labeling

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  MAPPA launched a record label called mappa records in April 2025. Kensuke Ushio's OST for Chainsaw Man , The Movie: Reze Arc became the first publication under this new division. The studio created Animation Studio Contrail in September 2019 to handle specific projects like Sarazanmai. They have produced opening animations for video games such as Persona 5 Royal in 2019. Cutscenes for Emio , The Smiling Man appeared in 2024 alongside Nintendo titles. Original net animations include Yasuke which aired in 2021 with LeSean Thomas directing. Music videos like Hana wa Saku were created for NHK's Great Eastern Japan Earthquake Project in 2013. The studio also released Kakegurui Twin in 2022 and continues expanding into diverse media formats beyond traditional television series.

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