Chainsaw Man Director Ryu Nakayama Establishes Own Animation Studio

Director Ryu Nakayama, known for his work on Chainsaw Man anime, took to Twitter on Jan 6, 2023, to announce the establishment of his own animation studio, Andraft Co., Ltd.

Nakayama expressed his excitement about the venture, stating, “I am pleased to announce the establishment of Andraft Co., Ltd. We aim to establish a better animation production system and deliver high-quality works to a global audience. We will challenge various genres without discrimination and strive to explore new possibilities. Your support is greatly appreciated!“.

This probably confirms that Nakayama won’t be returning to MAPPA to direct future instalments of Chainsaw Man anime.

Andraft Inc., established in 2023, is a creative unit founded by director, producer, and animator Ryu Nakayama. The studio aims to create an environment that encourages continuous exploration of various challenges, free from the constraints of existing concepts, and to bring even freer expression to more people in the time to come, and foster a space where creativity can be fully embraced.

The studio is currently on the lookout for individuals to join their team and contribute to the creation of the next generation of animation. Positions available include:

• Animator (Key Animation/In-between Animation)/Animation Supervisor/Director
• Background Art/Art Director/Visual Development
• Production Manager/Producer

The employment offered are contract-based or outsourcing, with a trial period of three months and the possibility of promotion to full-time employment. Salary decisions will be made in accordance with the company regulations, considering the candidate’s experience and ability. An example provided for an experienced employee’s salary is 350,000 yen per month, including 20 hours of fixed overtime.

More information on the recruitment can be found on the official website of the studio.

Ryu Nakayama had previously put out a cryptic tweet talking about improving the working conditions on a certain project.

According to Nakayama’s post, he was working on a mission (probably with others) to better the working environment, that was free from unnecessary power and moral harassment. The director committed to creating something that was both stable financially and in terms of time.

At that time many had speculated that Chainsaw Man season two was under production in MAPPA, while others were of the opinion that he had left MAPPA to start his own studio.

Source: Twitter