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In an exclusive interview, Mappa revealed that Chainsaw Man - The Move: Reze Arc is partnering with Sony in order to reach a "broader audience" beyond Crunchyroll, targeting viewers "who might not necessarily subscribe" to the anime-focused platform.

Speaking to Cbr at Anime Expo 2025, Mappa president Manabu Otsuka, vice president Hiroya Hasegawa, and executive producer/IP coordinator Scott Dolph revealed a special behind-the-scenes look at the making of Chainsaw Man - The Move: Reze Arc. Mappa has partnered with Sony for the release of the film to reach a "broader audience" than the primarily Crunchyroll-based audience that the series has accrued outside of Japan.

Chainsaw Man Anime Movie Execs Aim to Reach Fans Outside of Crunchyroll Streaming Image via Mappa

"Like with Season 1, internationally or in America at least, [the series is] still distributed by Crunchyroll," president Otsuka and VP Hasegawa stated. "Basically, what we're trying to do is, working with Sony, we...

Alright, let’s just get this clear: Chainsaw Man is not coming back with a Season 2. Nope. At least, not yet. So, instead, we’re getting the next chapter of Denji’s blood-splattered story, and it’s heading straight to the big screen with Chainsaw Man — The Movie: Reze Arc. And if you’re screaming, “Why a movie?!” believe us, you’re not alone.

So the thing is, it turns out Mappa never wanted to make Chainsaw Man‘s Reze Arc part of a second season in the first place. At Anime Expo 2025, Mappa president Manabu Otsuka finally spilled the chainsaw-flavored tea, and you know what? The reason actually does make a ton of sense. Maybe even more than you’d expect.

The Reze Arc Would’ve Ruined Chainsaw Man Season 2’s Flow: Otsuka says

Alright, quick manga refresher: the Reze arc of Chainsaw Man is where Denji gets a...

Only three months remain until Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc will hit U.S. theaters. The first season of Chainsaw Man covered the first four-story arcs, teasing its next foe during the final episode. And while there was a chance that the Bomb Girl/Reze arc could have been part of Season 2, the team over at Mappa thinks this story could be better delivered in a movie format.

During a panel at Anime Expo 2025, Mappa's president, Manabu Otsuka, talked about the upcoming anime feature. When discussing the "Bomb Girl" arc and its exclusion from Season 2, Otsuka believed that this narrative would be better suited for the big screen, given its popularity and the desire to share it with a wider audience.

"I think that's why it's used on the small screen. And I think the Reze arc is like a fan favorite too, like people like that arc and you know,...

Nearly three years after the completion of its highly acclaimed first season, Chainsaw Man is set to return this fall with its first full-length film. The hype surrounding the upcoming Reze Arc movie is immense, with long-time fans of the series excited to see one of its most beloved arcs on the big screen, and newer fans eagerly waiting for Denji's story to continue.

However, despite all the buzz about the latest entry into the Chainsaw Man franchise, the series' devoted community wants to know when to expect season two of the anime. News concerning a follow-up season has been relatively non-existent, and it's likely to stay that way until the movie completes its time in theaters. Fortunately, though, Mappa execs have finally given an update.

Mappa CEO and VP "Have Plans" For Chainsaw Man Mappa Execs Are Looking Ahead With Chainsaw Man's First Movie On the Horizon

Mappa...

From the beginning of its Work in Progress session at Annecy’s Pierre Lamy Theatre, directors Sunao Katabuchi and Chie Uratani’s love of history couldn’t be clearer. The session, based around their upcoming film “The Mourning Children: Nagiko and the Girls Wearing Tsurubami Black,” almost immediately dived into discussing the immense period detail of their work.

Producer and Mappa CEO Manabu Otsuka called the production “very culturally loaded.” He continued to say that the formation of the studio Contrail to make the film helped with “the need to create a space for this historical research,” allowing them to “dig deep.” Otsuka also highlighted the number of young artists who worked on the film, speaking about a desire to provide the junior staff an environment to learn and experiment in.

The panelists shared first footage from the film, depicting slices of Kyoto 1000 years ago. The footage jumped between a...

At a recent promotional event in Tokyo, two of Oshi no Ko's lead anime series voice actors opened up about how they are looking forward to what Season 3 will bring to the story.

Mantan Web reported on the appearance of Takeo Otsuka and Rie Takahashi at a press conference for the Kiyoko Hata x Oshi no Ko Dress Collection, where both actors discussed what fans can expect when Oshi no Ko's Season 3 arrives in 2026. Otsuka, who plays Aqua Hoshino in the anime, stated: "In the third season, there will be some major developments for each character, and I think people who are familiar with the original work will look forward to seeing how those developments will be portrayed. Those who have [only] been watching the anime will be surprised. We will all work hard to deliver something great."

Official Oshi no Ko Staff Say Season 3 Will Surprise Anime Fans Image...

Animation has the power to transport viewers to imaginary realms, to ancient civilizations, or to distant planets: anywhere the authors’ imagination wishes to go. In this case, we find ourselves immersed in the sacrifices that young athletes must make to become figure skaters. In Japan, figure skating is confirmed as a sport of great national importance: few athletes can compete in the national championships, and even fewer can compete at the international level. In this regard, the animation studio Engi has produced an anime adaptation of the Olympic ice-skating manga “Medalist,” winner of the Next Manga Award in 2022. In fact, in 2020, Kodansha published the work of Ikada Tsuruma, who dedicated himself to deepening his knowledge of figure skating before creating his first commercial work: a piece that also earned him the Shogakukan Manga Award in 2023 in the Best General Manga category.

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Inori Yuitsuka collects earthworms that she gives to Mr.

The acclaimed filmmaking duo Huang Ji and Otsuka Ryuji are completing their new feature film “A Woman Builds,” a multilingual drama exploring themes of independence, identity, and belonging in contemporary Asia.

Huang and Otsuka previously collaborated on “Stonewalling” (2022), which premiered at Venice and won the Golden Horse Award for best narrative feature, and “The Foolish Bird” (2017), which debuted at the Berlinale.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

With a budget of $622,000 and $339,000 already secured from private investors and producer participation, the project is seeking additional financing and sales partners at the Hong Kong – Asia Film Financing Forum (Haf).

The film follows Lynn, a woman living separately from her husband Kenji and daughter in China, where she pursues her dream of building a house in her hometown, now evolving into a tourist destination. Her growing attraction to a married colleague and confrontations with gender bias and bureaucracy complicate her journey, ultimately leading her to question the personal...

2025 marks 10 years since the passing GeGeGe no Kitaro creator Shigeru Mizuki. And in honor to celebrate Mizuki's continued influence, a series of new projects will kick off this year. Fans in Japan can enjoy rebroadcasts of classic Kitaro episodes, followed by the return of the stage show this summer. Fuji TV and other stations will first broadcast GeGeGe no Kitaro: My Favorite GeGeGe Generation starting April 6. The weekly feature will welcome the many voice actors who have played Kitaro over the decades, each choosing their own favorite episodes to discuss: GeGeGe no Kitaro voice actresses The lineup includes: Masako Nozawa (Series 1-2) Keiko Toda (Series 3) Yoko Matsuoka (Series 4) Minami Takayama (Series 5) Miyuki Sawashiro (Series 6) Toko Yatabe, the character designer for the film The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe has drawn a new illustration for the upcoming feature, showing Mizuki's studio and Kitaro as he has appeared across the many seasons.

The official website of AnimeJapan 2025 revealed the line-ups for its main stages on Jan 17, 2025.

This year’s event will feature four main stages—Red, Green, Blue, and the newly introduced White stage, hosting a total of 52 programs over two days.

An overview of the stages can be viewed below:

Red Stage & Green Stage: These are closed stages with designated seating. Attendees will need both an admission ticket and a stage viewing ticket to watch programs on these stages. Blue Stage & White Stage: These are open stages. The front-row seats for viewing will be designated seating, requiring both an admission ticket and a stage viewing ticket. However, free viewing areas are available at the back, though space is limited.

It was also revealed that some stage programs will be streamed online. Further details about the streaming schedule and availability will be revealed in the coming weeks.

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Toho Animation's hit anime series The Apothecary Diaries tells an intriguing mystery tale revolving around a group of Imperial concubines. According to Aoi Yuki, the Japanese-language voice actor for central protagonist Maomao, a similar type of environment also exists within the anime's recording studio.

Initially released in October 2023, The Apothecary Diaries features a lengthy list of female characters that comprise both the main cast and multiple side roles. In a recent interview with Mantan Web, Yuki uses the term "harem" to describe the experience of recording her lines for the series. Additionally, she talks at great length about the unique dynamic that Maomao shares with Jinshi, a handsome male eunuch who uses Maomao's herbal expertise to protect Lady Gyokuyou and the other ladies of the inner palace. "She's gradually become more and more rough with Jinshi. Maomao is like a cat [and] she's become more and more rough because she's become attached to him.

A popular magazine in Japan recently announced the results of the bi-annual "National Treasure Level-Handsome Men" survey. Takeo Otsuka, who voices Aquamarine from Oshi no Ko and Jinshi from The Apothecary Diaries, has officially earned the title of Japan's most handsome voice actor for the latter half of 2024.

Per Oricon, the aforementioned magazine is ViVi, a monthly fashion magazine with a target demographic of women aged 17-27. Sitting at the top of ViVi's Top 10 "most handsome men" rankings is Otsuka, who narrowly defeated Nobuhiko Okomoto, best known for his role as Katsuki Bakugo from My Hero Academia. The third-place winner is Nobunaga Shimazaki, the star of CloverWorks' popular martial arts-focused drama, Wind Breaker. The full list of winners, ranked from most to least popular, are listed below.

Related "If She Were Still Alive": Oshi no Ko Creator Reveals Ai Hoshino's Would-Be Future Career

A major fashion magazine reveals a...

“Pitfall” a movie that shares many similarities with “Woman of the Dunes” and Shohei Imamura’s works, was Hiroshi Teshigahara‘s feature debut and also marked the first of four collaborations with Kobo Abe, the aforementioned included. However, unlike the others, which are based on novels by Abe, “Pitfall” was originally a television play called “Purgatory” (Rengoku). The production had its share of problems, as Teshigahara often disagreed with his film crew, and fired two assistant directors who did not wish to include the rape scene in the movie. It was distributed by the Art Theatre Guild on a limited release, in one of the first distribution efforts of the company, and was later acquired by Toho which released it in the United States in 1964.

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A miner manages to escape a mining camp he was imprisoned along with his son,...

The forty year old good-for-nothing Sota (Masaaki Nakano) still lives with his father Goichi (Taka Takao) in a house somewhere in the countryside. There is no way of knowing what had turned him into a hoarding, sloppy man who spends days sleeping and looking at his smartphone. In Sota’s life, nothing seems to matter, and his way of showing gratitude to his caring, mild-mannered father is telling him off at the slightest attempt of conversation.

Goichi, a former arts teacher, spend his time much more meaningfully than his offspring – painting in the nature with his new-found love, or going for long strolls. Now in pension, he is thinking of re-marrying. Needless to say, taking care of his grown-up son doesn’t make much sense anymore. One evening, after coming home from a long day of painting landscapes, Goichi decides to try to talk to his son again and to...

The Brothers Patterson — Dan, 48, Joel, 45, and Andy, 43 — all work together making doors, tables, hearths, and other works of art out of metal and spend their spare time playing heavy metal music together. It’s early on a Wednesday and there’s plenty of work to do (Andy already has his coveralls on and protective eye gear resting on his head), but today they’ve gathered in a small office of their shop, Santa Barbara Forge, for a Zoom call to reflect on All Things Metal, a new short film streaming...

Seijun Suzuki's 1966 gangster movie Tokyo Drifter is a classic of Japanese cinema that has influenced the film industry for decades to come. However, despite its now iconic status, Tokyo Drifter was not always an internationally renowned work. After serving in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II, Suzuki became an assistant director at the Shochiku Company's Ofuna Studio. In 1954, Suzuki moved to the Nikkatsu Corporation, where he began as an assistant director before eventually writing screenplays and directing. At Nikkatsu, Suzuki developed a reputation for directing quality B-movies in the yakuza and action genres. Given shoestring budgets and extremely tight schedules, Suzuki found success through films such as Underworld Beauty, Take Aim at the Police Van, and Everything Goes Wrong.

While many of Suzuki's early works achieved moderate commercial success, his artistic breakthrough occurred in 1963 with the release of the yakuza film Youth of the Beast. Starting with Youth of the Beast,...

Hello to all you spokon (anime involving sportsmanship and competition) and soccer anime lovers, welcome to my review of all the matches from the first season of Blue Lock , the competition where only the forwards who best use their egoism will survive until the end. Isagi, Bachira and the rest gave us some high-octane emotions throughout last season, but with so many matches it's hard to remember who beat who, and who the top scorers were. But fear not, before the match against the Japan U-20 team that is coming in the second season, I'm going to review absolutely all the duels we witnessed. Without further ado, let's get started! All Bluelock Matches First Selection Second Selection Third Selection First Selection: Group League Matches Team X vs Team Z 5 - 1 Yuza Dokomo Tsukoteru Eiyu Yawara Banku Daiya Morinaga Chihiro Ezaki Haato Meiji Kosei Otsuka Ruto Kora Burai Daido Shoei Barou...

Hayao Miyazaki worked on the Moomin anime, shaping his imagination and art style. The Moomin and Studio Ghibli art styles share similar qualities, like rounded characters and lush natural landscapes. Both Tove Janssen and Studio Ghibli artists create soft, nature-centric worlds that emphasize childhood safety and idealism.

My Neighbor Totoro is perhaps Studio Ghibli's most recognizable film. Even people who haven't watched any anime may recognize the large, fluffy nature spirit, Totoro, or the tiny black soot sprites. Totoro is Studio Ghibl's official mascot, and it's loosely based on Hayao Miyazaki's life as a young child.

Hayao Miyazaki worked on many well-known projects before helping found Studio Ghibli. Not many know that he's connected with the series anime adaptation Moomin in 1969. Moomin is based on a Finnish comic strip, and it's wildly popular throughout Europe and Japan. Between the characters and the art style, it's very clear that working on...

All Things Metal, a documentary about a family of metal workers forging their craft with their love of heavy metal, will premiere at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival on June 6 after being acquired as part of a partnership between Rolling Stone Films and streaming platform Documentary+.

“Three brothers run the Santa Barbara Forge + Iron together, where they smith bespoke metal work,” the film’s synopsis states. “After hours, their forge turns into an impromptu film set where they make heavy metal music as an ode to their favorite genre. Their creative...

Murai in Love Gets New Trailer Ahead of Fall 2024 Release Date Window - Main Image

Following its announcement nearly two years ago, the Murai in Love anime finally has a new trailer highlighting its cast members ahead of the show’s Fall 2024 release date window.

This upcoming anime is a new romantic comedy, and it will be released on Disney+ later this year, meaning it is part of Disney’s push to strengthen the anime lineup of its flagship streaming service.

Murai in Love Is an Upcoming Rom-Com Anime from a Prolific Studio

Much like other romance anime, Murai in Love is based on an ongoing manga, and it’s serialized in the Line Manga magazine

The series follows Ayano Tanaka, a high school teacher who loves otome games. One of the students in the high school is named Murai, and he confesses his feelings to Tanaka.

Unsurprisingly,...

There are few characters in pop culture cooler than Snake Plissken from John Carpenter's sci-fi classic "Escape From New York." Played by the also impossibly cool Kurt Russell, Plissken is a former U.S. Army Special Forces lieutenant who served in World War III before being wounded and becoming a criminal. In "Escape From New York," he's offered the chance at a pardon by the feds if he can carry out a dangerous rescue mission in Manhattan, which has been turned into a massive prison. Russell would reprise the role in 1996 in order to reteam with frequent collaborator Carpenter on "Escape from L.A.," which sees Snake playing basketball for his life and surfing the L.A. river. Then, around 2004, he had the chance to voice another character named Snake who looks an awful lot like Plissken, but he turned it down.

In a video interview with GQ, Russell explained his...

The managing director of Naruto's Studio Pierrot, Keirou Itsumi, has revealed in an interview that the bank could have sold off some of its most iconic series had the studio failed to repay its loans.

Itsumi sat down with Borderless, revealing how his time as a banker in New York led him to realize that he could even take something like intellectual property (IP) and use it as collateral. This means that an anime studio could receive a loan from the bank. In the event they can't pay it back, the bank may sell the rights to a series to another company to reclaim the debts. Pierrot used this type of loan to finance many of its titles, putting the studio on a stronger footing alongside other investors. The production committee system in Japan means that investors only receive a share of the profits proportionate to the amount they invested,...

New comments from the managing director of Naruto's Studio Pierrot, Keirou Itsumi, have many anime fans calling out Mappa over its perceived treatment of animators.

Itsumi spoke to Borderless about the growth of Studio Pierrot and the company's plans. At the core of Studio Pierrot's future is ramping up anime production while taking better care of the creatives involved. "We have to create works that are of higher quality than ever and can compete on a global scale," Itsumi said. "This comes with various costs. In the past, in the anime industry, creatives may have had the impression that the working environment was about making small profits and quick returns and that they were expected to work in a way that ignored the Labor Standards Act. However, in modern times, labor management must also be done properly. The idea of ​​"doing your best with guts" that existed in the Showa era is no longer valid.

Taiwanese family drama ‘Old Fox’ won the most awards on the night.

China-set drama Stonewalling, directed by husband-and-wife team Huang Ji and Ryuji Otsuka, won best narrative feature at the 60th Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan on Saturday (November 25).

Taiwanese family drama Old Fox won the most awards on the night, including best director for Hsiao Ya-chuan, best supporting actor for veteran Akio Chen, makeup and costume design, and best film score.

Scroll down for full list of winners

Mainland Chinese director Huang and Japan’s Otsuka were in attendance at Taipei’s National Dr Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall to...

China-set drama Stonewalling, co-directed by husband-and-wife team Ryuji Otsuka and Huang Ji, won best narrative feature at Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards, which is celebrating its 60th edition this year.

The film, which premiered in Venice and won best film at Hong Kong film festival’s Young Cinema Competition, follows a young woman in mainland China grappling with issues around career, relationships, health and fertility. It also won best editing, which was shared by Otsuka and Taiwan’s Liao Ching-sung, with the latter winning his first Golden Horse award after 12 nominations stretching back four decades.

The awards were evenly spread among the nominated films. Taiwan’s Wu Kang-ren won best leading actor for his role as a deaf-mute in Malaysian drama Abang Adik. Best actress went to 12-year-old Audrey Lin for her role in Trouble Girl, making her the youngest ever best actress winner at the Golden Horse awards.

Best...

Mappa's goal to match the quality of Kyoto Animation (KyoAni) and ufotable has anime fans demanding better working conditions for the studio's animators.

Kyoto Animation and ufotable are among Japan's most reputable animation studios, consistently producing high-quality works that garner large fan bases. As detailed on Japanese entertainment site Natalie, Mappa's representative director Manabu Otsuka recently laid out his studio's strategy to compete: "It's quite difficult to catch up with Kyoto Animation and ufotable in a short period of time... so, I thought about how I could participate in the race with the top studios in the shortest time possible by producing a lot and gaining experience while maintaining top quality." Otsuka explained how this decision was influenced by the release of In This Corner of the World in 2016, which netted high praise for the studio but low financial returns.

Demon Slayer Anime No Longer "Too Expensive" for Cartoon Network...

A Sign of Affection has released its first official anime teaser video, along with new details about its staff and cast.

Mainichi (Mbs) Broadcasting featured the trailer on its official YouTube Channel. Studio Aijado's upcoming series will adapt Suu Morishita's titular manga series, which revolves around a deaf college student named Yuki Itose and her budding romance with Itsuomi Nagi, a kindly upperclassman who, unlike most, acts naturally around Yuki. As detailed on Anime News Network, A Sign of Affection will have its broadcast debut on Tokyo Mx and Mbs in January 2024. Viewers in the U.S. will also have the opportunity to attend the series' North American premiere at Anime NYC 2023, which starts on Nov. 17 and ends on Nov. 19. Crunchyroll will stream the series following its Japanese premiere.

Related: Why Kudo From My Happy Marriage Is the Best Shojo Male Lead of 2023

The newly revealed cast members are Takeo Otsuka,...

‘’Eye Of The Storm’ and ‘Marry My Dead Body’ also secure several nods.

Chong Keat-aun’s historical epic Snow In Midsummer leads the nominations for the 60th Golden Horse Awards in Taiwan, scoring nine nods including best film and best director.

Lin Chun-yang’s Sars drama Eye Of The Storm and Cheng Wei-hao’s ghost comedy Marry My Dead Body are close behind with eight nominations apiece.

Each will compete in the best film category along with Stonewalling by husband-and-wife team Huang Ji from mainland China and Ryuji Otsuka from Japan, and Time Still Turns The Pages, the feature debut...

A collaboration between Netflix and Sublimation is set to unleash a visually stunning Onimusha anime series, featuring the iconic figure of Musashi Miyamoto and immersive 3Dcg animation. Renowned voice actor Akio Otsuka adds his deep timbre and charismatic vocal performance to the series, joining a talented cast that promises to bring the beloved world of Onimusha to life. With the fusion of legacy and modernity, Onimusha stands as a beacon of collaboration, innovation, and artistic brilliance, offering viewers a journey filled with legends, groundbreaking entertainment, and an unforgettable visual and auditory experience.

In an epoch where the line between animated storytelling and groundbreaking artistry is continuously blurred, a new venture prepares to make its gallant entrance into the limelight. A prodigious collaboration between Netflix and the acclaimed studio Sublimation is set to weave a brand-new tapestry within the anime domain, rekindling the fierce flames of the Onimusha universe. Spearheaded by Akio Otsuka's dynamic vocal artistry,...

Mappa CEO Manabu Otsuka cites the production structures of Chainsaw Man and Campfire Cooking in Another World with My Absurd Skill as part of a necessary direction for the company's survival.

Per Kompass, Yuri!!! on Ice's profitability relative to its success was "insignificant," Otsuka outlines. "For example, it was possible to describe the outcome of Yuri!!! on Ice, which we produced, as a big hit, but relative to its success, the money that the studio gained was insignificant. We have responsibilities, I feel - even as we accepted this [equity] structure - and we had to increase what we were capable of doing."

Related: Yuri!!! on Ice Fan Asks What Happened to the Anime

"It's not like we can control when we produce a blockbuster [anime]," Otsuka said. "As an enterprise, to not take advantage of our limited opportunities, it wouldn't have been possible to grow the company. In order to rid ourselves of those concerns,...

Bhubaneswar, June 8 (Ians) A day ahead of their Intercontinental Cup 2023 campaign opener against Mongolia, India senior men’s national football team coach Igor Stimac on Thursday said that they are expecting to win the tournament and will do everything possible to make that happen.

The third edition of the Intercontinental Cup will kick off with a clash between Lebanon and Vanuatu at 16:30 Ist on Friday at the Kalinga Stadium, here. Later in the day, India will have their first-ever meeting against Mongolia.

Hosts India won the inaugural tournament in 2018 in Mumbai, defeating Kenya 2-0 in the final, while Dpr Korea beat Tajikistan in the last edition in Ahmedabad in 2019.

“We’re expecting to win the tournament, and that’s why we’re here. We’ll do everything possible to make that happen,” said Stimac in the pre-tournament press conference on Thursday.

The big target for India is the AFC...

The recent anime showcase Mappa Stage 2023 left Chainsaw Man fans devastated.

Fans of the anime have taken to social media to express their disappointment with the lack of new content after the Mappa stage show, as reported by Sportskeeda. This event updates and reveals the projects the production company is working on, with the action-horror series receiving no major news. This lack of information shocked many viewers who tuned in, hoping to see a Season 2 announcement and trailer.

Related: Chainsaw Man's Makima Captivates in Hypnotic Fan Art

@MAPPA_Info I stayed up till 4 in the morning for your guy’s chainsaw man panel and you guys don’t even mention anything about season 2 wtf.. — Jesse Arroyo (@jesssarroyo6686) May 21, 2023 No Chainsaw Man Season 2 Announcement Fuuuuuuck — Bowl o' Fruit (@Dobohuh) May 21, 2023 Fucking hell...The only thing that i enjoy at Mappa Stage 2023 is Seeing Pochita and the Giveaway...until there no Season...

Manabu Otsuka, the CEO of Studio Mappa, claims that Chainsaw Man was not the success the company hoped for.

A report from Sportskeeda outlined Otsuka's assessment of the Chainsaw Man anime's performance, expressing that he had hoped for more. The CEO stated that while the series was a financial success, it did not sell as many DVD/Blu-Ray copies as he expected, with most of the views coming from its TV distribution. "I wish I could have reached more audiences who pay for the package." In addition, he claimed that he didn't think it had the same "impact" as Jujutsu Kaisen.

Related: Chainsaw Man Fan Edit Sees Pochita Walk the Met Gala’s Red Carpet

Studio Mappa Invested 100% into Chainsaw Man

Studio Mappa poured a lot of their efforts into Chainsaw Man, with the same interview featuring assurance from Otsuka that the company invested 100 percent into the production of the series,...

"Chainsaw Man" is a wild deviation from the typical shōnen manga -- Tatsuki Fujimoto went above and beyond in its art and storytelling, using seemingly superficial violence, action, and vulgarity to tell a profound story about human desires, found family, and control. When it came time to adapt the wildly popular series, Mappa naturally saw fit to deviate in its own way. To do justice to the unconventional storytelling methods, the Tokyo-headquartered studio chose to pull from a new generation of talent to get it right. A director as youthful and energetic as the original manga.

While that decision could've backfired, Mappa had a proven track record that seemed to justify its stance. In recent memory, the studio has been responsible for a bunch of popular adaptations -- most notably, the likes of "Jujutsu Kaisen" and the final season of "Attack on Titan." Both of these anime were visually ambitious...

After “Carmen from Kawachi” had been one more unsuccessful attempt of production company Nikkatsu to get director Seijun Suzuki in line with the kind of movies they wanted him to make, they decided to reduce his budget even further for his next feature. In the wrong hands, “Tokyo Drifter” probably would have been just another gangster flick which the industry had produced a thousand times, but Suzuki created something truly special, widely regarded as one of his most interesting and visually arresting works. Instead of feeling ´restricted by the lack of financial support, the director relied on his skill of making ends meet and sticking to his creative vision, resulting in a much more abstract work which also fits perfectly in the age of pop culture.

Tokyo Drifter is screening as part of the Seijun Suzuki Centennial presented by Japan Society

In Tokyo, Tetsuya (Tetsuya Watari), nicknamed “Phoenix”, is the...

In the current landscape of anime adaptations, there aren't many animation studios doing it like Mappa. Currently known for taking the helm from another animation studio to work on the final season of "Attack on Titan," they've also kept busy with the successful first season of "Jujutsu Kaisen" and have even more projects on the way. Along with the upcoming second season of "Vinland Saga" on Netflix, Mappa is currently being praised for its work on the first season of "Chainsaw Man." The 12-episode series is filled with gory visuals and a story that can be tragic in one moment and darkly hilarious in the next.

The overwhelming work the studio has had to deal with in recent years hasn't stopped Mappa from giving each project the attention it deserves. Aside from the stunning detail and staying faithful to the source material, Mappa also clearly has faith in the success of its projects.

"Chainsaw Man" was a challenge to adapt from the very beginning. Not just because of its violence and sexual content, but because of its many faces. Sometimes the series is a knowingly stupid action thriller. At other times, it's a bittersweet coming-of-age tale, a skin-crawling horror story, a commentary on labor under late capitalism, and a heartfelt ode to bad movies. The protagonist Denji is an aspirational everyman who fights devils with chainsaws, but he's also a sadboy whose pitiful dreams are easily manipulated. Rather than simply alternating between comedy, horror, and tragedy, creator Tatsuki Fujimoto blends them so that the reader is constantly pulled in whatever direction they least expect. He's the young comics equivalent of Bong Joon-ho, if Bong had a deep love of Syfy schlock like "Sharknado."

Adapting "Chainsaw Man" required threading together these contradictory impulses, while simultaneously transforming the material so that it worked on screen.

The ebbs and flows of a rather long, deliberately paced narrative can test most viewers. Especially difficult when it seems the movie’s central conflict doesn’t manifest in a few key sequences, instead building piece-by-piece over time, in small gestures. Those with a keen eye and ear, who are willing to soak in commentary on muted malaise of 21st-century youth, will find reward in Huang Ji and Ryûji Otsuka’s Stonewalling. Like the characters, it plays a waiting game: this film bets its outskirt sleepy venues will absorb viewers enough to find deeper meaning. Not only about the modern lives of China’s youth, but also the troubling economic and social inheritances that will come to the generations after.

The camera barely moves. Sequences of still shots play directly to a paced narrative hinging on tension of unmade decisions and half-taken next steps that embody the genuine aimlessness felt by its young protagonist.

"Jujutsu Kaisen 0" is finally available to stream on Crunchyroll after a successful theatrical release. The prequel film tells the story of Yuta Okkotsu, a special-grade sorcerer, before the events of the anime's first season. With a highly anticipated second season on the way, "Jujutsu Kaisen" is more popular than ever.

A large part of the success of "Jujutsu Kaisen" is Studio Mappa, the animation studio behind the anime adaptation. Without the hard work of the animation team bringing Akutami's vivid fights to life from page to screen, there would be no Jujutsu Kaisen anime, let alone one as stylish and visceral as we got.

According to the animation team behind the film and the series, animating the fight scenes is easy; the more high-concept ideas and original material not in the manga are the hard parts. With how much a manga like "Jujutsu Kaisen" uses exposition to explain concepts like cursed techniques,...

The curators of the 2022 edition of the BFI London Film Festival have programmed a total of 164 feature films, including 23 world premieres, 6 international premieres and 15 European premieres, with a special programme of over 20 features and 15 short films available digitally across the whole of the UK on BFI Player until October 23.

The films are grouped in thematic strands: Love, Debate, Laugh, Dare, Thrill, Cult, Journey, Create, Experimenta, Family and Treasures, and will also include TV series.

Over 60 countries are represented, with 41 of the programme from female and non-binary directors and creators or co-directors and co-creators, while ethnically diverse directors and creators make up 34 of the line-up.

Explore the full Programme Here and find all the information about tickets and booking Here

And now browse the selection of Asian Titles of the BFI London Film Festival:

Official Competition Nezouh

Nezouh

Soudade Kaadan – UK-Syria-France 2022. 104min

Soudade Kaadan turns to her Syrian roots for this wry,...

Third part of a series of movies that focus on sexual awakening, girlhood / young womanhood and independence, by the wife and husband duo of Huang Ji and Ryuji Otsuka, following “Egg And Stone” and “Foolish Bird”, “Stonewalling” is a very personal film, which implements though, the personal experiences of the two filmmakers in order to show a very realistic image of the modern day metropolitan China.

Stonewalling is screening at Venice International Film Festival

20-year-old Lynn is instigated by her boyfriend, and his family to a point, to follow a very particular path in life that has her attending a flight-attendant school, learning English, and agreeing to every whim of his, while he is away on modeling and party hosting gigs. When she finds out that she is pregnant though, her life turns upside down, particularly because she eventually realizes she wants to keep the baby, despite her boyfriend’s insistence to get an abortion.