is a Japanese
animation studio
An animation studio is a company producing animated media. The broadest such companies conceive of products to produce, own the physical equipment for production, employ operators for that equipment, and hold a major stake in the sales or rentals ...
headquartered in
Suginami, Tokyo
is a special ward in Tokyo, Japan. The ward refers to itself as Suginami City in English.
As of June 1, 2022, Suginami has an estimated population of 588,354 and a population density of 17,274 persons per km2. The total area is 34.06 km2 ...
. Founded in 2011 by
Madhouse co-founder and producer
Masao Maruyama, it has produced anime works including ''
Terror in Resonance
, also known as ''Terror in Tokyo'', is a Japanese anime television series produced by MAPPA. The anime was created and directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, with character designs by Kazuto Nakazawa and music by Yoko Kanno. The anime began airing ...
'', ''
Yuri!!! on Ice
is a Japanese sports anime television series about figure skating. The series was produced by MAPPA, directed and written by Sayo Yamamoto with original scripts by Mitsurō Kubo under the chief direction of Jun Shishido. Character designs ...
'', ''
In This Corner of the World
is a manga series written and illustrated by Fumiyo Kōno which ran from 2007 to 2009 in ''Weekly Manga Action''. It follows the life of Suzu Urano, a young bride with her new family living on the outskirts of Kure City during the Second W ...
'', ''
Kakegurui'', ''
Banana Fish
''Banana Fish'' (stylized in all caps) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akimi Yoshida. It was originally serialized from May 1985 to April 1994 in ''Bessatsu Shōjo Comic'', a manga magazine publishing manga (girls' m ...
'', ''
Zombie Land Saga
is an anime television series produced by MAPPA, Avex Pictures and Cygames. The series aired in Japan between October and December 2018. A second season titled ''Zombie Land Saga Revenge'' aired between April and June 2021. An anime f ...
'', ''
Dororo
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by the manga artist Osamu Tezuka. Tezuka's childhood memory of his friends pronouncing as ''dororo'' inspired the title of the series. ''Dororo'' was first serialized in Shogakukan's ''W ...
'' (in co-production with
Tezuka Productions
is a Japanese animation studio founded by Osamu Tezuka in 1968. It is known for animating notable works such as '' Marvelous Melmo'', the 1980 and 2003 ''Astro Boy'' series, and '' Black Jack''. It is also the holder of the intellectual propert ...
), ''
Dorohedoro
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Q Hayashida. It was serialized in Shogakukan's manga magazines ''Monthly Ikki'' (November 2000 to September 2014), ''Hibana'' (March 2015 to August 2017), and ''Monthly Shōnen Sunday'' ...
'', ''
The God of High School
''The God of High School'' () is a South Korean manhwa released as a webtoon written and illustrated by Yongje Park. It has been serialized in Naver Corporation's webtoon platform Naver Webtoon since April 2011, with the individual chapters colle ...
'', ''
Jujutsu Kaisen
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Gege Akutami. It has been serialized in Shueisha's ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' since March 2018, with its chapters collected and published in 21 ''tankōbon'' vo ...
'', ''
Attack on Titan: The Final Season'', ''
Chainsaw Man
is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tatsuki Fujimoto. Its first part was serialized in Shueisha's ''shōnen'' manga magazine ''Weekly Shōnen Jump'' from December 2018 to December 2020; its second part began serializati ...
''. MAPPA is an
acronym
An acronym is a word or name formed from the initial components of a longer name or phrase. Acronyms are usually formed from the initial letters of words, as in ''NATO'' (''North Atlantic Treaty Organization''), but sometimes use syllables, as ...
for Maruyama Animation Produce Project Association.
Business
History
The studio was founded on June 14, 2011, by
Masao Maruyama, a co-founder and former producer of
Madhouse, at the age of 70. Maruyama served as the company's first representative director, and the studio's initial goal was to produce
Sunao Katabuchi
is a Japanese animation director, screenwriter, and storyboard artist.
He is director of Contrail Co. Ltd.
He has been a part-time lecturer at Nihon University College of Art since 2006, and a Project Professor at the college of Art of at the ...
's ''In This Corner of the World''. Due to financial difficulties at Madhouse, Maruyama and Katabuchi established MAPPA in the hopes of producing the film; however, despite moving studios, the film had a lot of production troubles, and wasn't released until 5 years later. Maruyama first started working with Katabuchi for the film in 2010 during Madhouse era, but it took three years to start the production due to difficulties to raising funds.
In April 2016, Maruyama resigned as a CEO of the studio and became a chairman. Studio animation producer Manabu Otsuka, a founding member and a former employee of
Studio 4°C
is a Japanese animation studio founded by Eiko Tanaka and Koji Morimoto in 1986. The name comes from the temperature at which water is most dense.
History
Studio 4 °C has produced numerous feature films, OVAs, and shorts. Early film titl ...
, became the CEO following Maruyama's official departure.
Criticism
The studio's scheduling, work, and culture have been the subject of intense scrutiny, with veteran animators like Hisashi Eguchi criticizing their practices;
to which Kevin Cirugeda from ''Sakugablog'' surmised as being due to the studio's incredibly fast-paced growth and "recklessness".
Mushiyo, another animator at MAPPA, also criticized the company for not properly training its animators and the studio's culture of overwork, which lead to them eventually quitting their job at the studio.
Besides the animator's individual output within the studio, they also criticized the company's decision to produce four series co-currently.
Cirugeda also noted that in the 20 televised anime MAPPA produced from the beginning of 2015 to the beginning of 2020, the company had only been on the production committee for four of them, all of which listed MAPPA near the bottom or at the very bottom of the list, indicating that they served to a capacity almost as if they were being specifically contracted for work even on "original" series.
MAPPA denied offering "unreasonable compensation" to "creators" in a response to claims that the studio underpaid workers;
however, animator Ippei Ichii claimed that an anime produced by MAPPA under Netflix, was suggesting a pay of per cut,
to which Ichii claimed that is the minimum cost that animators should negotiate for.
Productions
Anime television series
Anime films
Original video animations (OVAs)
Original net animations (ONAs)
Other productions
See also
*
List of Japanese animation studios
This is a list of Japanese animation studios.
A
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B
* Bandai Namco Pictures (株式会社バンダイナムコピクチャーズ)
*
* Bibury Animation Studios (合同会社バイブリーアニメー ...
*
Madhouse - an animation studio co-founded by former Madhouse producer Masao Maruyama.
*
Grizzly
The grizzly bear (''Ursus arctos horribilis''), also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America.
In addition to the mainland grizzly (''Ursus arctos horri ...
- an animation studio specialized solely on BL titles.
Notes
References
External links
*
Company profile
*
{{Japanese animation studios
Japanese companies established in 2011
Mass media companies established in 2011
Japanese animation studios
Animation studios in Tokyo