Latest news with #Ufotable
News18
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Sound Hashira Returns To Cinemas Ahead Of Demon Slayer's Grand Finale
Last Updated: Toho Cinemas will launch a special 'movie etiquette' video in collaboration with anime studio Ufotable. Demon Slayer- Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Movie: Infinity Castle is one of the most anticipated Japanese anime films this year. The movie, directed by Haruo Sotozaki, is based on the Infinity Castle arc of Koyoharu Gotouge's Demon Slayer manga. It features the popular hero of the Demon Slayer franchise — Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui. Ahead of Demon Slayer- Kimetsu no Yaiba: Infinity Castle's theatrical premiere in Japan on July 18, fans are in for a special treat. Tengen Uzui and his three wives-cum-kunoichi (female ninjas) — Makio, Suma and Hinatsuru are set to arrive on the big screens for a special pre-screening short film. According to Crunchyroll, Toho Cinemas will launch a special 'movie etiquette" video in collaboration with anime studio Ufotable. These short animated segments, featuring Sound Hashira and his trio of kunoichi wives, will run in select Japanese theatres from June 20 to July 17. It will wrap up just a day before Demon Slayer- Kimetsu no Yaiba: Infinity Castle's silver screen release. The concept of 'movie etiquette" is specially curated for the audience looking forward to the film. It will enlighten them on how to maintain proper decorum and etiquette at theatres. Additionally, the short film will also delight fans with fresh content from the Demon Slayer universe, which kicked off in 2019 and has since grown into a global anime phenomenon. At present, only the teaser is available. The full video will only be viewed by movie-goers as a limited-time treat. Back in March, the makers of the Demon Slayer universe attended a meeting in Japan where it was decided that Kimetsu no Yaiba: Infinity Castle would premiere on July 18. The film is the first part of the trilogy. The release dates of the other two movies are yet to be announced. Sharing the announcement on X, the makers wrote, 'Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba the Movie: Mugen Castle Chapter 1 to be released on Friday, July 18th. The decisive battle begins. The key visual has been released." 【劇場版「鬼滅の刃」無限城編】第一章、7月18日(金)公開決定決戦の火蓋を切る―― キービジュアルを公開しました。 ▼プロモーションリール２０２５はこちら #鬼滅の刃 #無限城編 — 鬼滅の刃公式 (@kimetsu_off) March 1, 2025 Last year in June, Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment revealed that they had acquired Kimetsu no Yaiba: Infinity Castle's distribution rights and an international release date is soon to be unveiled. First Published: June 19, 2025, 15:36 IST
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Demon Slayer Kimetsu No Yaiba: Tengen Uzui returns to the big screen ahead of Infinity Castle movie Premiere
Fans of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, especially the flamboyant Sound Hashira Tengen Uzui, are in for a surprise this summer. Ahead of the highly anticipated premiere of Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle on July 18 in Japan, Tengen Uzui and his three wives will make a brief return to theaters in a special pre-screening short film. From June 20 to July 17, Toho Cinemas will feature an exclusive 'movie etiquette' video created in collaboration with anime studio Ufotable , spotlighting the fan-favorite Sound Hashira and his trio of kunoichi wives. These short, animated segments serve as lighthearted reminders for moviegoers to maintain proper theater etiquette, while delighting fans with new content from the Demon Slayer universe. A teaser clip offers a quick glimpse, but the full video will only be viewable in select Japanese theaters, making it a limited-time treat for local audiences. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Top 25 Most Beautiful Women In The World Car Novels The announcement comes as excitement builds for the launch of the Infinity Castle movie trilogy. Originally announced on March 1, the first installment debuts in Japan on July 18. In June 2024, Crunchyroll and Sony Pictures Entertainment confirmed that they have acquired the global distribution rights (excluding Japan and select Asian territories), with an international release expected to follow. Directed by Haruo Sotozaki and animated by Ufotable, the Infinity Castle trilogy will adapt the climactic arc of Koyoharu Gotouge 's manga. Character designs are helmed by Akira Matsushima, with a stirring score composed by Yuki Kajiura and Go Shiina. Live Events Crunchyroll currently streams the TV anime, Mugen Train, and the ongoing Hashira Training Arc in both subbed and dubbed versions. The upcoming films will pick up where the series leaves off — with Tanjiro Kamado and the Demon Slayer Corps entering a final showdown against the demon king Muzan Kibutsuji inside the treacherous Infinity Castle. As the corps braces for its most decisive battle yet, longtime fans will appreciate the brief return of Tengen Uzui — even if only to remind them to silence their phones and enjoy the ride.
Economic Times
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025: Complete winners list and highlights
The global anime community's premier celebration, the 9th Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025 was hosted at the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday. Distinguished guests from various entertainment sectors worldwide have gathered to present the awards. Here is the comprehensive list of winners across all categories. Solo Leveling dominated multiple categories, securing both Anime of the Year and Best New Series honours. Look Back claimed the Anime Film of the Year, whilst Ninja Kamui earned recognition as Best Original Anime. Ufotable's work on Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc received the Best Animation award. Notable achievements include Dandadan's victory in Best Character Design, and Keiichiro Saito's direction of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End earning Best Director. The musical categories saw Solo Leveling's score by Hiroyuki Sawano and Creepy Nuts' "Otonoke" from Dandadan receiving top performance categories, Aoi Yuki earned Best Voice Artist Performance (Japanese) for The Apothecary Diaries, whilst Aleks Le won the English category for Solo Leveling. Genre-specific awards went to Blue Box (Romance), Mashle: Magic and Muscles (Comedy), Solo Leveling (Action), and Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (Drama).Here's the full category wise list: Dandadan Kaiju No.8 Delicious in Dungeon Frieren: Beyond Journey's End The Apothecary Diaries Solo Leveling – WINNER Dandadan Kaiju No.8 Delicious in Dungeon Frieren: Beyond Journey's End The Apothecary Diaries Solo Leveling – WINNER Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom in the Rain My Hero Academia: You're Next Spy x Family Code: White The Colors Within Look Back – WINNER Bucchigiri?! Girls Band Cry Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night Metallic Rouge Train to the End of the World Ninja Kamui – WINNER Dandadan – Science SARU Kaiju No.8 – Production I.G Frieren: Beyond Journey's End – Madhouse Delicious in Dungeon – Trigger Studios Solo Leveling – A-1 Pictures Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc – Ufotable – WINNER Delicious in Dungeon Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Kaiju No.8 The Apothecary Diaries Dandadan – WINNER Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict My Hero Academia Season 7 One Piece Oshi no Ko Season 2 Spy x Family Season 2 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc – WINNER Fuga Yamashiro (Science SARU) – Dandadan Haruo Sotozaki (Ufotable) – Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc Megumi Ishitani (Toei Animation) – One Piece Fan Letter Norihiro Naganuma (Toho Animation) – The Apothecary Diaries Yoshihiro Miyajima (Trigger) – Delicious in Dungeon Keiichiro Saito (Madhouse) – Frieren: Beyond Journey's End – WINNER Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict Dandadan Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Look Back Solo Leveling (Hiroyuki Sawano) – WINNER Abyss – YUNGBLUD ( Kaiju No.8 ) ) Bling-Bang-Bang-Born – Creepy Nuts ( Mashle ) ) Fatal – GEMN ( Oshi no Ko S2 ) ) LEveL – Sawano Hiroyuki [nZk] feat. TXT ( Solo Leveling ) ) The Brave – YOASOBI ( Frieren ) ) Otonoke – Creepy Nuts ( Dandadan ) – WINNER Dandadan Delicious in Dungeon Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc Pluto The Apothecary Diaries Frieren: Beyond Journey's End – WINNER A Sign of Affection Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! Ranma ½ Scott Pilgrim Takes Off The Dangers in My Heart Season 2 Blue Box – WINNER Delicious in Dungeon Konosuba – Season 3 My Deer Friend Nokotan Ranma ½ Spy x Family Season 2 Mashle – WINNER Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict Dandadan Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc Kaiju No.8 Wind Breaker Solo Leveling – WINNER Laid-Back Camp Season 3 Mr. Villain's Day Off My Deer Friend Nokotan Sound! Euphonium 3 The Dangers in My Heart Season 2 Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! – WINNER Konosuba – Season 3 Mushoku Tensei – Season 2 Cour 2 Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 Suicide Squad Isekai That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 3 Re:Zero – Season 3 – WINNER A Sign of Affection Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction Oshi no Ko Season 2 Pluto The Apothecary Diaries Frieren: Beyond Journey's End – WINNER Frieren ( Frieren ) ) Kafka Hibino ( Kaiju No.8 ) ) Momo ( Dandadan ) ) Okarun ( Dandadan ) ) Maomao ( The Apothecary Diaries ) ) Sung Jinwoo – Solo Leveling – WINNER Himmel ( Frieren ) ) Jinshi ( The Apothecary Diaries ) ) Seiko ( Dandadan ) ) Senshi ( Delicious in Dungeon ) ) Turbo Granny ( Dandadan ) ) Fern – Frieren – WINNER Frieren ( Frieren ) ) Okarun ( Dandadan ) ) Senshi ( Delicious in Dungeon ) ) Tokiyuki Hojo ( The Elusive Samurai ) ) Yuki Itose ( A Sign of Affection ) ) Anya Forger – Spy x Family Season 2 – WINNER Abyss – YUNGBLUD ( Kaiju No.8 ) ) Bling-Bang-Bang-Born – Creepy Nuts ( Mashle ) ) Fatal – GEMN ( Oshi no Ko S2 ) ) LEveL – Sawano Hiroyuki [nZk] feat. TXT ( Solo Leveling ) ) UUUUUS! – Hiroshi Kitadani ( One Piece ) ) Otonoke – Creepy Nuts ( Dandadan ) – WINNER Antanante – riria ( Ranma ½ ) ) Burning – Hitsujibungaku ( Oshi no Ko S2 ) ) KAMAKURA STYLE – BotchiBoromaru ( The Elusive Samurai ) ) Nobody – One Republic ( Kaiju No.8 ) ) Taidada – ZUTOMAYO ( Dandadan ) ) Request – Krage ( Solo Leveling ) – WINNER Atsumi Tanezaki – Frieren Kenichi Suzumura – Bravern! Shion Wakayama – Momo (Dandadan) Sayaka Sembongi – Mercilee (Delicious in Dungeon) Natsuki Hanae – Okarun (Dandadan) Aoi Yuki – Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries) – WINNER AJ Beckles – Okarun (Dandadan) Jessie James Grelle – Armin (Attack on Titan Final Season) Sarah Natochenny – Alya (Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian) SungWon Cho – Senshi (Delicious in Dungeon) Aleks Le – Sung Jinwoo (Solo Leveling) – WINNER
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025: Complete winners list and highlights
The global anime community's premier celebration, the 9th Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2025 was hosted at the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday. Distinguished guests from various entertainment sectors worldwide have gathered to present the awards. Here is the comprehensive list of winners across all categories. Solo Leveling dominated multiple categories, securing both Anime of the Year and Best New Series honours. Look Back claimed the Anime Film of the Year, whilst Ninja Kamui earned recognition as Best Original Anime. Ufotable's work on Demon Slayer : Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc received the Best Animation award. Notable achievements include Dandadan's victory in Best Character Design, and Keiichiro Saito's direction of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End earning Best Director. The musical categories saw Solo Leveling's score by Hiroyuki Sawano and Creepy Nuts' "Otonoke" from Dandadan receiving top honours. In performance categories, Aoi Yuki earned Best Voice Artist Performance (Japanese) for The Apothecary Diaries, whilst Aleks Le won the English category for Solo Leveling. Genre-specific awards went to Blue Box (Romance), Mashle: Magic and Muscles (Comedy), Solo Leveling (Action), and Frieren: Beyond Journey's End (Drama). Here's the full category wise list: Live Events Anime of the Year Dandadan Kaiju No.8 Delicious in Dungeon Frieren: Beyond Journey's End The Apothecary Diaries Solo Leveling – WINNER Best New Series Dandadan Kaiju No.8 Delicious in Dungeon Frieren: Beyond Journey's End The Apothecary Diaries Solo Leveling – WINNER Anime Film of the Year Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle Mononoke The Movie: The Phantom in the Rain My Hero Academia: You're Next Spy x Family Code: White The Colors Within Look Back – WINNER Best Original Anime Bucchigiri?! Girls Band Cry Jellyfish Can't Swim in the Night Metallic Rouge Train to the End of the World Ninja Kamui – WINNER Best Animation Dandadan – Science SARU Kaiju No.8 – Production I.G Frieren: Beyond Journey's End – Madhouse Delicious in Dungeon – Trigger Studios Solo Leveling – A-1 Pictures Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc – Ufotable – WINNER Best Character Design Delicious in Dungeon Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Kaiju No.8 The Apothecary Diaries Dandadan – WINNER Best Continuing Series Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict My Hero Academia Season 7 One Piece Oshi no Ko Season 2 Spy x Family Season 2 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Hashira Training Arc – WINNER Best Director Fuga Yamashiro (Science SARU) – Dandadan Haruo Sotozaki (Ufotable) – Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc Megumi Ishitani (Toei Animation) – One Piece Fan Letter Norihiro Naganuma (Toho Animation) – The Apothecary Diaries Yoshihiro Miyajima (Trigger) – Delicious in Dungeon Keiichiro Saito (Madhouse) – Frieren: Beyond Journey's End – WINNER Best Score Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict Dandadan Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Look Back Solo Leveling (Hiroyuki Sawano) – WINNER Best Anime Song Abyss – YUNGBLUD ( Kaiju No.8 ) Bling-Bang-Bang-Born – Creepy Nuts ( Mashle ) Fatal – GEMN ( Oshi no Ko S2 ) LEveL – Sawano Hiroyuki [nZk] feat. TXT ( Solo Leveling ) The Brave – YOASOBI ( Frieren ) Otonoke – Creepy Nuts ( Dandadan ) – WINNER Best Background Art Dandadan Delicious in Dungeon Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc Pluto The Apothecary Diaries Frieren: Beyond Journey's End – WINNER Best Romance A Sign of Affection Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! Ranma ½ Scott Pilgrim Takes Off The Dangers in My Heart Season 2 Blue Box – WINNER Best Comedy Delicious in Dungeon Konosuba – Season 3 My Deer Friend Nokotan Ranma ½ Spy x Family Season 2 Mashle – WINNER Best Action Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War – The Conflict Dandadan Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc Kaiju No.8 Wind Breaker Solo Leveling – WINNER Best Slice of Life Laid-Back Camp Season 3 Mr. Villain's Day Off My Deer Friend Nokotan Sound! Euphonium 3 The Dangers in My Heart Season 2 Makeine: Too Many Losing Heroines! – WINNER Best Isekai Anime Konosuba – Season 3 Mushoku Tensei – Season 2 Cour 2 Shangri-La Frontier Season 2 Suicide Squad Isekai That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Season 3 Re:Zero – Season 3 – WINNER Best Drama A Sign of Affection Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction Oshi no Ko Season 2 Pluto The Apothecary Diaries Frieren: Beyond Journey's End – WINNER Best Main Character Frieren ( Frieren ) Kafka Hibino ( Kaiju No.8 ) Momo ( Dandadan ) Okarun ( Dandadan ) Maomao ( The Apothecary Diaries ) Sung Jinwoo – Solo Leveling – WINNER Best Supporting Character Himmel ( Frieren ) Jinshi ( The Apothecary Diaries ) Seiko ( Dandadan ) Senshi ( Delicious in Dungeon ) Turbo Granny ( Dandadan ) Fern – Frieren – WINNER 'Must Protect At All Costs' Character Frieren ( Frieren ) Okarun ( Dandadan ) Senshi ( Delicious in Dungeon ) Tokiyuki Hojo ( The Elusive Samurai ) Yuki Itose ( A Sign of Affection ) Anya Forger – Spy x Family Season 2 – WINNER Best Opening Sequence Abyss – YUNGBLUD ( Kaiju No.8 ) Bling-Bang-Bang-Born – Creepy Nuts ( Mashle ) Fatal – GEMN ( Oshi no Ko S2 ) LEveL – Sawano Hiroyuki [nZk] feat. TXT ( Solo Leveling ) UUUUUS! – Hiroshi Kitadani ( One Piece ) Otonoke – Creepy Nuts ( Dandadan ) – WINNER Best Ending Sequence Antanante – riria ( Ranma ½ ) Burning – Hitsujibungaku ( Oshi no Ko S2 ) KAMAKURA STYLE – BotchiBoromaru ( The Elusive Samurai ) Nobody – One Republic ( Kaiju No.8 ) Taidada – ZUTOMAYO ( Dandadan ) Request – Krage ( Solo Leveling ) – WINNER Best Voice Artist Performance (Japanese) Atsumi Tanezaki – Frieren Kenichi Suzumura – Bravern! Shion Wakayama – Momo (Dandadan) Sayaka Sembongi – Mercilee (Delicious in Dungeon) Natsuki Hanae – Okarun (Dandadan) Aoi Yuki – Maomao (The Apothecary Diaries) – WINNER Best Voice Artist Performance (English) AJ Beckles – Okarun (Dandadan) Jessie James Grelle – Armin (Attack on Titan Final Season) Sarah Natochenny – Alya (Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian) SungWon Cho – Senshi (Delicious in Dungeon) Aleks Le – Sung Jinwoo (Solo Leveling) – WINNER
Time of India
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Anime studio wars: How MAPPA, Ufotable, and Wit Studio are shaping the future of Anime
Credits: Reddit Anime is more global than ever – and fans are tuning in to a fierce 'studio war' for the best shows. In just the past two years, MAPPA , Ufotable and Wit Studio have each rolled out hit series and films, sparking debate among audiences about style, quality and work culture. Fans voted in record numbers (34 million global votes in 2024 alone) to celebrate their favorites, from Jujutsu Kaisen to Demon Slayer . In fact, Jujutsu Kaisen 2 (produced by MAPPA) swept the 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Awards with 11 wins, including Anime of the Year t , and was named the world's top anime of 2023 by a Parrot Analytics/Guinness report. This rivalry among studios has become a narrative itself. MAPPA: Blockbusters and burnout Credits: TheGamer MAPPA has been on a tear with one big franchise after another. In 2023–24 it delivered Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2 (Shibuya arc), the Attack on Titan: The Last Attack movie, and Chainsaw Man , among others. Fans praised Chainsaw Man 's cinematic action – it won 'Best New Series' at the 2024 Crunchyroll Awards – and Jujutsu Kaisen 2 was called an 'epitome of viewer fascination' with a global demand rating 71× an average TV show. Even Swordsmith Village (the third Demon Slayer arc, by Ufotable) won Best Animation and Art Direction in 2024, showing how much hype there is around these hits. Attack on Titan: The Last Attack (a MAPPA-run movie of the final chapters) crossed ¥1 billion (~$6.6 M) in Japan in just days, proving the franchise's box-office power. Yet all this success has come amid controversy. MAPPA's packed 2023 schedule drew criticism: some fans felt series like Hell's Paradise were 'sandwiched' between bigger hits. Reporters and insiders note animators regularly face crunch deadlines and long hours. A 2024 industry survey found anime staff work about 225 hours per month on average, highlighting systemic overwork. Even MAPPA's vice-president Hiroya Hasegawa admits the new generation of animators wants better balance. He told reporters in early 2025: 'There are more people… who want to separate their work and private lives and strike a balance', and MAPPA is rethinking schedules and mentorship programs to help artists learn on the job. The studio even plans formal mentor training to pass on skills, after seeing that rushed schedules left little time for corrections. Ufotable: Polished spectacles and event films Credits: FandomWire Ufotable has quietly become synonymous with 'spectacle'. It tends to invest years and big budgets into relatively few projects, aiming for perfection. In 2023–25 Ufotable's crown jewel remains Demon Slayer . Its Swordsmith Village arc (2023) earned rave reviews and several awards. The upcoming Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle movie, set for July 2025, is already anticipated worldwide – a follow-up to 2020's Mugen Train , which was Japan's highest-grossing film. On the Fate side, Ufotable is animating the long-delayed Witch on the Holy Night film (trailer released late 2023). Each Ufotable release is an event: the studio's lush 2D/3D animation, hand-painted lighting and dynamic camera work make each frame pop. Ufotable's business model is built on tentpoles. It often partners with Aniplex/Sony and Toho for big theatrical projects, rather than churning many TV series. Its revenue streams even include Ufotable Cafés, where fans queue to sample themed food (part of the Fortune Arterial franchise). Because it takes its time, Ufotable has avoided the worst of the reported crunch – at least publicly. (The studio's founder even went to jail in 2019 for tax evasion related to cafe revenues, but workplace abuse rumors have been fewer than at MAPPA. ) Audience response is consistently positive: fans praise Ufotable's animation as 'movie-quality,' and Swordsmith Village's award wins underscore that polish. Wit Studio: Collaboration and consistency Credits: Anime-Planet Wit Studio has long been the underdog that set the standard: it animated the first three seasons of Attack on Titan and hits like Ranking of Kings and Vinland Saga . In the new era, Wit is busy too, though it often shares projects. Its recent work includes the Spy × Family Code: White movie (co-produced with CloverWorks) and smaller series like Suicide Squad Isekai (December 2023) and the upcoming My Deer Friend Nokotan (summer 2024). Wit's strategy has been to grow steadily and partner where needed. CEO George Wada (formerly of Production I.G) explained that WIT 'doesn't look for studios [to work with]… we look for projects' and then decide how to staff them. For example, when Attack on Titan needed to finish after Wit's seasons, Wada praised MAPPA: 'the reason that we were able to complete the series was because MAPPA took it on…and it's a wonderful studio'. Wit is also exploring new structures. With Aniplex and CloverWorks, it co-founded JOEN, a studio-conglomerate meant to pool talent and resources for big TV projects. Wada has voiced caution about unsustainable pacing: quality comes from investment. He told reporters, 'I don't think it's possible to keep [current] pace up… the number of anime fans in the world needs to continue to grow. Once…fans increase, businesses will put more money towards creating anime, which will allow…high quality'. He emphasized that money should go 'into the people… growing the personnel and the talent pool' – an eye on both production value and working conditions. Production pressures and fan reactions All three studios share one reality: global audiences now demand cinematic spectacle on tight schedules. This pressure has fans cheering the results and lamenting the process. Online forums buzz over who has the best sakuga (animated action), with some calling MAPPA's action 'jaw-dropping,' while others point to occasional rough CGI cuts when deadlines bite. Ufotable devotees applaud its detail but sometimes wonder if slow output is a missed chance. Wit fans celebrate its storytelling and co-productions ( Moonrise on Netflix in 2024) but worry about outsourcing keeping animators happy. In the background, a 2024 survey confirmed what anime workers have long known: most animators still toil long hours for low pay. In public, studio heads have begun to talk about balance. MAPPA's Hasegawa insists 'animation is hard work' but admits the studio must let staff live fuller lives. And Wada of Wit bluntly told Netflix (a major funding source for anime) that it needs to market shows individually, not just its platform, 'because each and every title is important to the creators'. Industry-wide, joint strategies like JOEN and multinational funding (Crunchyroll, Netflix, etc.) reflect that studios must innovate their business models as much as their art. Anime fans around the world are watching closely. For many, MAPPA is the fearless action powerhouse, Ufotable the perfectionist artist, and Wit the wise collaborator. Each studio's approach – whether all-in on big hits, or steady collaborative growth – highlights changes in the anime industry. As Crunchyroll Awards show and Guinness records prove, the rewards are huge: anime is 'pop culture dominance' now. But with success comes scrutiny. The 'Studio Wars' of 2023–25 show a creative boom – and a reminder that behind every stunning frame, real people deserve support too. Check out our list of the latest Hindi , English , Tamil , Telugu , Malayalam , and Kannada movies . Don't miss our picks for the best Hindi movies , best Tamil movies, and best Telugu films .
