Chainsaw Man Producer Exits MAPPA to Found Own Company

There is no denying the reputation that MAPPA Studios has crafted over the past decade. The company has been in the anime industry for a time, and it has become a household name as of late thanks to its work on several hit series. From Jujutsu Kaisen to Attack on Titan and Chainsaw Man, MAPPA Studios is one of the busiest studios in Japan. And now, a new report has confirmed a major producer at MAPPA Studios has left the company.

The revelation comes courtesy of Makoto Kimura, a producer at MAPPA that has worked on a number of shows like Chainsaw Man. Taking to social media, Kimura informed fans they were leaving their executive spot at MAPPA to found their own company.

MAPPAの役員を3月末で退任して独立しました！会社名は株式会社BLUE RIGHTSです！これまでやってきたアニメ、音楽、商品、イベント、催事、海外展開などなど！日本初の素晴らしいカルチャーを世界に届け、作り手が幸せになるスキームを再構築すべく頑張っていこうと思ってます！
よろしくお願いします！ pic.twitter.com/IH4G9HuJSA

— 木村誠 (@Kimu777) April 3, 2024

"I have left my position as an officer at MAPPA and am working independently," the producer shared. "My company's name is Blue Rights Co., Ltd.! It addresses everything from anime, music, merchandise, events, overseas licensing, and more. I will do my best to create a wonderful work culture here in Japan... that makes workers happy."

As you can see, Kimura is putting their focus on a new job that exists outside of MAPPA. This revelation comes not long after the studio posted an update to its upper management. MAPPA is still lead by president Manabu Otsuka, but it has a new vice president at the helm along with several board members. There is no telling how these executive changes will impact MAPPA, but netizens are curious to see how things shape up.

After all, we would be remiss to overlook the headlines MAPPA conjured last year with Jujutsu Kaisen season two. The hit anime was one of the top shows of 2023, but its behind-the-scenes drama did distract netizens. A number of animators on Jujutsu Kaisen publicly criticized MAPPA for its harsh work conditions. From poor scheduling to mandatory overtime, the team behind Jujutsu Kaisen season two wasn't afraid to put MAPPA on blast when necessary. And now, the studio has made major changes in their management in the wake of such complaints.

What do you make of this MAPPA Studios update? 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!