Japanese Animation Industry Is Not Creative At All, Vinland Saga Director Says

Says he is fed up of old people who complain and don't move on.

December 9, 2022

Vinland Saga anime director Shuhei Yabuta said in his recent tweet that the Japanese Animation industry is not at all creative at this moment. He added that the industry needs to work hard to create an environment where new challenges can be taken.

The director was letting his thoughts known on standard of satisfaction that fans are looking for. He quote tweeted a fan animation of One Punch Man in it.

ファンが求める「満足度」の基準。(これは作画スキルの話ではありません。)

私たちの仕事は、最終的な画面にどれだけ新しい体感や体験を作り出し、満足度を上げられるかが重要。

30年40年同じことを繰り返してきたのはそれが正しいからではなく、誤った職人主義と個人主義の結果。 https://t.co/0xjvqXP1V3
— やぶた Shuhei Yabuta (@yabshu55) October 30, 2022

Yabuta said in his tweet that they have been doing the same thing for 30 to 40 years, thanks to the misguided craftmanship and individualism.

“We have been doing the same thing for 30 or 40 years, not because it is the right thing to do, but as a result of misguided craftsmanship and individualism,” Yabuta said.

“I’m afraid I have to add, just to be clear, I’m not talking about One Punch man, but about the Japanese animation industry as a whole. It is about the fact that the Japanese animation industry is not creative at all now, and we need to be aware of and work hard to create an environment where new challenges can be taken on in order to develop the ability to win in the wider market,” he added.

Yabuta also said that he was fed up of the old people in the industry who just complain and don’t move and the kids who are “blinded by the need to keep collecting hearts”.

“Creating animation works is not a contest for individual performers, but a circus. If you cannot share a vision and aim for high quality, you should make it alone without using titles,” Yabuta wrote in his tweet.

“I am fed up with old people who just complain and don’t move on, and kids who are blinded by the need to collect hearts, so when my current work settles down, I would like to challenge myself to do things a little at a time.”

Yabuta has been vocal in the past on twitter about the Japanese animation industry and about the changes that were needed in it.

In one such twitter thread, he had said that there is a lack of awareness about quality control when it comes to anime production and that the situation won’t improve until studios have “the power and know-how to invest enough in their own titles.”

Yabuta is currently working on Vinland Saga Season 2. The anime is set to release in Japan on January 2023.

Source: Twitter