The latest episode of JJK has got the internet burning.
Summary:
- This is not the first time fans notice issues with the Jujutsu Kaisen anime adaptation.
- Episode 14 of the anime has left fans extremely disappointed.
- There have been some rumors about the poor working conditions at MAPPA.
- Fans are worried about the future of the series.
MAPPA’s animation… It feels like we’ve discussed this topic thousands of times, and yet the Jujutsu Kaisen fanbase keeps bringing it up every other time a new episode is released. This time the latest episode, the 14th, has become the victim of fan outrage.
Previous issues with the adaptation quality
The second season of Jujutsu Kaisen has suffered enough already. Viewers have been complaining about bad animation quality, ghosting and shadowing. The scene of Yuji fighting the grasshopper curse was posted with a sarcastic comment by every devoted fan on twitter or reddit. And just when we thought that things were starting to get better and viewers seemed to be enjoying the adaptation (most of the thanks go to those sick Nanami and Gojo scenes, ‘cause horny is a powerful weapon; if you know, you know), everyone got enraged once again.
Why are fans upset about the latest episode?
Episode 14 has just aired, and the fanbase has already got some things to say. This time the long-awaited Toji scene is the one on the menu, and the displeasure is strong. Fans say it looks laughable and they were not even sure that they were watching the actual anime. Some say it felt like a weird fanart or a colored manga panel.
Manga readers also mention the absence of the narration from the original source, but they shouldn’t be upset just now. The prediction is that the said narration will be included in the next episode, since the Toji scene was just a teaser for it, and you shouldn’t have expected much from it. With that comes the hope that MAPPA will redo the frame next week when episode 15 airs.
The rest of the episode doesn't seem to be met with much excitement, either. Viewers use various metaphors, and such phrases like “the entire episode was powerpoint” or “slowmo kaisen” are just some of the examples. They point out the fight inside Dagon’s domain and say it was just atrocious.
The frustration feels strong, however, some fans are not so ruthless, and they say the episode looked just fine. But the fine isn’t enough when we’re speaking about such a huge project as Jujutsu Kaisen. Expectations are skyrocketing, every frame of the adaptation is examined with unnatural precision, so nothing except perfection will be accepted by the fans.
Rumors about working conditions at MAPPA
All the conversations about the poor animation quality end in discussing the conditions at MAPPA. The production schedule is said to be very rough. We have to mention that no one doubts MAPPA’s ability to present a high quality product. Fans say that the studio possesses an abundant amount of talent, but it’s the production issues that stay in its way. The absolutely terrible schedule prevents the animators from doing their best, which results in the studio releasing raw episodes. Fans mention that even the preview for the next episode looks quite unfinished.
Rumor has it that MAPPA is basically a mess right now. On top of that, the studio’s workers are not allowed to speak about their working conditions. Despite that, we can still see some of their complaints. They say applying for a job at MAPPA is a great experience if you’re working on your resume, since it’s one of the biggest animation studios in Japan, and it will give you all the opportunities in the world for your future. But if you’re just an animator trying to do your best work, you should stay clear of MAPPA. Moreover, they say that instead of suppressing the staff complaints, the studio should try to create an environment where they just won’t complain.
Worries about the future of the series
It all comes down to the questions about the future of Jujutsu Kaisen. If fans are noticing the drop in the animation quality now, we can only guess what might happen next. Some fans are surprised that the studio has gotten this far with the adaptation due to its horrid schedule. They think MAPPA is in need of a delay, and its animators should just take a break and have more time to work on the series.
If the production doesn’t slow down, fans are worried the situation will get worse, and we’ll keep getting unfinished and weird looking episodes.
A number of viewers, however, think that it’s a matter of prioritization. Fans suggest that the latest episode was just a low priority one but it looks like not everyone shares this opinion: they call it a coping mechanism that allows them to hope for better episodes in the future.
The quality issue is not the only one worrisome for the fans, they’re also genuinely concerned about the animators’ well-being, and don’t want them to burn out or for the studio to resolve to crunch.