MAPPA explains why it fully funded Chainsaw Man without outside investors

MAPPA president Manabu Otsuka explained in a column for Bunshun Online why the studio decided to fund 100% of the budget for Chainsaw Man without relying on outside financing, an uncommon practice in the anime industry.

According to Otsuka, the decision was based less on confidence and more on the team's determination. The executive stated that Chainsaw Man embodies the reason he chose to work in animation and the subcultural legacy he was passionate about when he started at STUDIO4℃: a rawness that cannot be contained within an existing framework and a slightly distorted perspective, combined with the solidity of an entertainment piece.

By taking on the entire investment, MAPPA also took charge of marketing, international distribution, and merchandising, without a production committee overseeing the project. Otsuka clarified that the main goal is not to accumulate profits, but to reinvest them in improving the work environment for creative teams, training the new generation, and acquiring equipment.

The executive acknowledged that the responsibility was heavier than imagined. The first season did not turn out exactly as planned, both in production and rights management, which he attributed to a lack of experience and an immature team structure. Since the studio chose to fund everything, all the consequences fall on it.

Despite the initial missteps, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc was a box office success in Japan and the United States when it premiered in 2025, and the studio is already preparing the adaptation of the Assassins arc, announced in December.

Originally published on Anitsu by Eduardo Casanova. Text reviewed and fact-checked for DonOtaku on November 5, 2026; the original date is preserved.