What is the series going to do without its director?
Summary:
- Chainsaw Man’s director, Ryuu Nakayama, established his own animation studio.
- It might mean that he’s leaving MAPPA and won’t be working on Chainsaw Man anymore.
- Fans have mixed feelings about this news.
Ryuu Nakayama is the director of the Chainsaw Man anime adaptation. The rumors about him being fed up with MAPPA’s working conditions have been around for some time, and the news about his own project only makes us more worried about the future of Chainsaw Man.
Ryuu Nakayama founded Andraft
Director, producer and animator Ryu Nakayama announced the establishment of his own animation studio, Andraft, on his X page on January 6, 2024. He added that the main goal of the project is to establish a “better animation production system and deliver high-quality works to a global audience.”
Along with the announcement, an animation promotional video was released. The video is a short trailer for a collaboration between VSPO and Cardfight!! Vanguard. So you can already see the first look at the animation style of the newly formed studio. And we have to be honest, it looks stunning!
What does it mean for Chainsaw Man?
This is a good question. But one without a proper answer, we have to admit. Since there hasn’t been any official information about Ryu Nakayama’s involvement in the future of the series, there are still chances that he will work at both his studio and MAPPA.
However, fans hardly think so. They suggest that Nakayama’s announcement can only mean one thing: he’s leaving MAPPA and won’t be involved in any future Chainsaw Man projects.
Nakayama’s decision to establish his own studio and his words that emphasize the importance of healthy working conditions sound like a hint at the MAPPA controversy, that’s why it would be fair to believe that Chainsaw Man needs a new director.
Fans’ reception
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Fans have mixed feelings about the news. Those who weren’t satisfied with the Chainsaw Man anime feel like the change of the director is a good thing for the series, and they can’t wait to see what the project will look like in the future.
Still, there are those who truly enjoyed the work that Ryu Nakayama did, and they can’t help but feel upset by the news. They want to see more of his takes on Fujimoto’s works, and add that it would be wonderful to see an anime adaptation of Fire Punch by Andraft.