Jujutsu Kaisen Animator Unpacks Its Season Two Crunch

Never let anyone tell you that animation is easy. Whether in America or Japan, animated titles take an incredible amount of work and skill to complete. Given the growing popularity of anime, you might assume the industry has its work conditions on lock, but that is far from the case. The anime industry has long been critiqued for its conditions, and in the wake of Jujutsu Kaisen season two, one incredibly talented artist is sharing their experience on the show.

The update comes from Lí Cree on YouTube as they posted an informative diary documenting their work on Jujutsu Kaisen. The video, which can be seen above, tracks Cree’s work on the anime during during season two. They provided some excellent cuts on episode 36 and 39. And though they admit work on Jujutsu Kaisen season two was “intense”, they make it clear that MAPPA Studios deserves zero bashing.

“What I experienced on the show was… yes, it was intense even comparing it to other anime I’ve worked on. It was not good. There is no other way to say that other than it was not good. But then when you compare it to working on an American production, it starts to border line on breaking labor laws by American standards. But if I compare it work with other Japanese studios I’ve worked with, it was pretty bad. But I am still gratEful for the experience because not many people in the world can say they worked on Jujutsu Kaisen. I am not going to knock it for what it was,” Cree explained.

As the video continues, Cree breaks down a few of the issues they dealt with while working on Jujutsu Kaisen. From very tight deadlines to last-minute assignments, MAPPA Studios was nothing but crunched during the Shibuya Incident arc. Cree goes on to discuss the difficult balance of work life and personal life when it comes to anime. This issue presents itself to part-time freelancers, so you can only imagine how torn full-time anime artists are.

There is no easy solution to the problems plaguing the anime industry, but burnout is happening already. The medium’s popularity has pushed studios to produce more, but artists can only take so much. The pushback MAPPA Studios experienced from artists on Jujutsu Kaisen season two is hardly unique; It just so happened to be a high-profile show that gave animators a pedestal to speak their truth. So as these crunches continue in anime, be sure to share support for the artists who are doing their best to bring your favorite series to life.

What do you think about this animator’s experience on Jujutsu Kaisen? Let us know what you think in the comments below as well as on Twitter and Instagram. You can also hit me up @MeganPetersCB to share your take!