The JJK S2 Production Drama Does NOT Stop
Key points for more Mappa drama:
- I discuss the impactful tweet from episode director Ookubo Shunsuke, expressing my concerns about the industry’s impact on individuals’ mental health.
- I delve into the harsh working conditions in the anime industry, specifically addressing the recent controversy around JJK Season 2’s production at Mappa.
- I touch upon the uncertainty surrounding JJK Season 2’s future, mentioning protests at Mappa, potential staff departures, and the challenging working conditions faced by animators.
I swear I did NOT want to make another article on Mappa and how bad the JJK S2 production has been as a whole but something happened that has forced my hand. The anime industry often draws controversy because of working conditions but I don’t think it has ever been THIS bad.
Warning:
There will be some sensitive topics in the following content including “self-harm”. Please do not read further if you are triggered by such things.
I think it should be pretty clear by that warning what we are going to talk about today. Yes, it’s about the tweet from the episode director, Ookubo Shunsuke. He directed the 12th episode of Season 2 and worked on many others. Once again, please do not read further if you are sensitive about things like self-harm.
Ookubo’s Tweet
I-I don’t even have words to describe how I feel… just wow… imagine cornering someone to the point where they feel like doing this to themselves. Damn you, Mappa. May you pay for your greed, may you face a mass exodus of workers and go bankrupt hiring more. Probably won’t happen but I wish it does.
For those of you who don’t know, the character in the tweet is Ema Yasuhara from Shirobako. Ema is a freelancer in the anime industry in the show. While Shirobako is mostly upbeat and comedic, they image right there is anything but that. Just wow…
The tweet has garnered support from millions of fans and I really, really do hope that our positive sentiments reach the staff of JJK S2. No one should go through all this. This is why it drives me mad even more when people complain about the “quality” of the show.
The Future of JJK S2
I have no idea what the future holds. Apparently there have been some protests in Mappa. Certain tweets point to people leaving the company, a certain deleted tweet from Roccia Nibili only said “its over” and I hope that doesn’t mean what I think it means.
If you have watched the new episode, you know that the quality of this episode didn’t suffer much. As for next week though, I’m not sure if we will even get a new episode next week. Mappa is being Mappa, and Shonen Jump has also refused to allow them to delay the anime further… that’s just inhumane.
That is all for now…
I don’t know what else to say. I write this article with a very heavy heart, trying my best not to cry out and curse. There have always been questions about working culture in the anime industry but it’s never been this bad. This is to the point where even the animators themselves are having a meltdown on social media. Don’t give Mappa any money is all I can say. My heart goes out to all the people working for our entertainment.
Let me know what you guys think in the comments. I will take my leave here…See ya.
