The recent statements from the Terumi Nishii, Chief Animation Director of Jujutsu Kaisen 0 raise significant concerns about the anime industry in general.
She took to X/Twitter to express that the view that the anime industry may only have a few years left before facing a potential collapse. “Seriously, it’s over. Once Kagawa’s generation leaves, everything will end at once. We need to do something about the training scheme by then.”
Kagawa, known for his work on Sailor Moon and Revolutionary Girl Utena, gained attention for special Sailor Moon artwork this year. Nishii, who collaborated with Kagawa on the Utena movie, advocates for better working conditions for animators in Japan, aligning with the NAFCA movement. She emphasizes the need for a training program and a standardized skill test to elevate industry standards, advocating for long-term improvements in the anime industry.
She also stated, “Animation studios can’t handle nurturing new personnel. Because the ones who have been nurturing animators until now are freelance animators. It’s impossible for clueless companies that only understand numbers.”
制作会社はアテにならない。なぜなら今でアニメーターを育成してきたのは、フリーランスのアニメーターたちだから。数字しかわからない、ボンクラ会社には無理だよ。
— 西位 輝実 NlSHII Terumi (@NishiiTerumi) November 28, 2023
Current animators on Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 have levied numerous accusations against MAPPA, and fans, too, express dissatisfaction with the studio’s handling of the situation.
