Mappa Studio Responds to Work Condition Allegations

If you are big into anime, then the name Mappa will be familiar to you. The title belongs to one [...]

By Megan Peters

If you are big into anime, then the name Mappa will be familiar to you. The title belongs to one of the industry's most popular animation houses all thanks to its work on several hit series. In the past couple of years, the studio has worked on hit shows like The God of High School, Attack on Titan, and more. However, recent rumors have cast a bad light on Mappa's work conditions, and the studio is now responding to the issue.

The message came from Mappa directly as its official website shared the message with fans in Japan. The note begins by acknowledging the recent rumors regarding the studio's work conditions and low wages, but Mappa insists the rumors are all misleading.

"The other day, we learned insider information about one of our unpublished works was leaked on social media in a misleading manner," Mappa wrote before giving out some more details. "It is a fact that the unpublished work is not a project we commission for a major platform."

The statement went on to explain that the unannounced work was being shopped to networks for some time, so the production committee had little funds to use on development. This forced workers to take a smaller paycheck, and Mappa also stressed that the show's production costs (and wages) were all set based on its sales total. The studio then said it never forced artists or producers into a contract with them unaware of their pay rate.

"That's not to mention that this work, and any of our previous ones, have never forced a creator to work at an unreasonably low wage comparable to production cost," Mappa shared before saying the studio will take measures against those spread rumors about its work conditions.

Clearly, the studio has a different message from animators who have spoken against Mappa in the past. This back-and-forth is troubling to see, and it comes at a time when Japanese animators are peeling back the industry's veneer. Accusations of terrible work conditions, unlivable wages, unpaid overtime, and so forth have plagued the anime industry for years. And now, it seems Mappa is the latest studio to combat such rumors.

What do you make of this response? Do you think Mappa is taking these rumors seriously? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB.

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