MAPPA Faces More Criticism Over Yuri On Ice Movie Cancellation

Summary MAPPA cancels long-awaited Yuri!!! On Ice movie, angering fans who accuse studio of exploitation and greed.

Original anime had massive impact, winning awards and praised for same-sex relationship representation.

MAPPA's reputation is tainted by poor working conditions and delays, disappointing anime fans once again.

A few months after becoming the villain in the anime world due to the poor working conditions of the Jujutsu Kaisen staff, studio MAPPA is under attack again as a consequence of the announcement that the long-anticipated Yuri!!! On Ice movie has been canceled.

Fans are calling out MAPPA's decision to cancel Yuri!!! On Ice the Movie: Ice Adolescence, a sequel film to the series, after they have been waiting for eight years to see the continuation of the critically acclaimed story. They are pointing out that Yuri!!! On Ice's success put the animation studio on the map, kickstarting its rise to the top.

The sequel film had to be focused on the character of Viktor, and was announced for the first time in April 2017. The movie was originally scheduled to be released in 2019, but it kept being delayed. Despite a first teaser trailer being released in Japan in 2019 and in the rest of the world in 2020, no more updates came, until the shocking news of the cancellation of the project.

MAPPA Is Giving Anime Fans Another Reason To Hate It

The Cancelation of the Yuri!!! On Ice Movie Is the Last in a Long History of Controversies

It seems that, whenever MAPPA is trending on social media, it's never for the right reasons. The studio has a long history of controversy, but it received the most criticism in late 2023, during the airing of the smash-hit second season of Jujutsu Kaisen. Several animators working for MAPPA came out to denounce the inhuman working conditions and the poor wages imposed by the studio. Fans were quick to express their outrage, but season 2 of Jujutsu Kaisen didn't stop, and it's been, perhaps controversially, praised for the incredible quality of its animation.

The announcement of the cancelation of Yuri!!! On Ice the Movie: Ice Adolescence made MAPPA trend once again. Fans are reminding everyone that the original anime was a turning point for the studio, but that's not all. Many are calling out that MAPPA held onto the movie for years, due to the success of the franchise, while other companies could have produced it and put it out a lot sooner.

Other fans are simply heartbroken by the announcement. They are using this opportunity to remember how significant the series was, and what impact it had on their lives.

Yuri!!! On Ice Had a Massive Impact on a Generation of Anime Fans

Original Anime Directed and Written by Sayo Yamamoto with Original Scripts by Mitsuro Kubo

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Yuri!!! On Ice was a true precursor series, coming out in 2016, before anime became one of the dominant media in the entertainment industry. It won three awards at the Tokyo Anime Award Festival, seven awards at the inaugural Crunchyroll Anime Awards, and a Japan Character Award. The series has been praised for its depiction of a same-sex relationship in a sport - and country - where the issue is still considered controversial.

Yuri!!! On Ice had a massive impact on a generation of anime fans, who waited patiently for eight years, believing in MAPPA despite all odds. It's clear that the reaction to this announcement goes well beyond the simple disappointment at the cancelation of a beloved product. Fans are accusing MAPPA of exploiting their love for the series, holding onto the movie for pure greed.

While some other studios could have been given a pass after sharing this news, MAPPA certainly will not be given the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, while most of its productions have been praised for their quality, the studio has built a reputation for exploitation and greed. While many hoped that the Jujutsu Kaisen animators' fiasco would motivate the company into turning over a new leaf, the cancelation of Yuri!!! On Ice the Movie: Ice Adolescence comes as another sad chapter in MAPPA's long history of controversies.