Koya Okamura, Head of the First Production Department, Production Division, MAPPA Inc.

2026.04.20

Bringing Japanese anime that excites the hearts of viewers to the world.

■ Profile
After working in the amusement industry, he joined the company in 2015. He currently works as an animation producer. His major works include the TV anime "Ranma 1/2", "Boukyaku Battery", "Dorohedoro Season 2", and the animated commercial "MARO17".

In recent years, MAPPA has produced many works that have received high praise worldwide, such as "Jujutsu Kaisen" and "Chainsaw Man." What is the appeal of MAPPA's works that captivate fans both in Japan and abroad? We spoke with Director Okamura of the Production Department to find out.

■What kind of anime do you want to deliver?

MAPPA is an animation studio established in 2011, and this year marks its 15th anniversary. Founded by Chairman Maruyama at the age of 70, the company began with the desire to create animation freely from scratch with talented creators. We want to convey the same excitement we feel when we watch interesting works to those who watch them.
Furthermore, in addition to producing anime, we now also handle events, merchandise, and streaming, taking responsibility in-house for ensuring that viewers can enjoy our works even more.

■What lessons and discoveries do you gain through creating your artwork?

With the expansion of streaming services, our works can now be seen not only in Japan but also by people overseas. We can also directly learn about the impressions and opinions of people all over the world through social media and other platforms, and we truly feel that our work is reaching a large number of people.
I had thought that some aspects of Japanese culture and ways of thinking might be difficult to understand overseas, but it was a great discovery to see that people were enjoying Japanese works as they were, more than I had imagined.

■What do you value most when creating your artwork?

It's about constantly thinking about how the viewers will feel. If the original work is a manga, I'm conscious of what the original author values and what aspects of it are loved by readers.
When manga is adapted into anime, movement, color, voice, and music are added, making the story and characters' appeal even easier to understand. We are constantly striving to create an even more enjoyable experience by challenging ourselves with expressions that are only possible through animation.
And it's also important that the creators themselves love their work. We are always thinking about how we can convey our own "love" to our audience while we are creating.

■Please tell us what you find interesting about anime production.

Anime production involves many processes from scriptwriting and storyboarding to drawing, finishing, and photography, and typically around 300 staff members are involved in a single season of anime. It's not easy for everyone to approach the project with the same level of passion, but sometimes someone's idea or ingenuity can result in visuals that are better than imagined. I believe that the greatest appeal and challenge of anime production lies in the fact that we can create things that we couldn't create alone, thanks to our teamwork.
Furthermore, MAPPA's productions are not biased towards any particular genre. The ability to tackle a wide range of genres, including action, romantic comedy, and fantasy, is one of MAPPA's strengths.

■Message to junior and senior high school students

When I was a student, I never imagined I'd be working in the anime industry. Because of that, now that I'm working in anime production, I wish I had watched more animated works beforehand. The earlier you decide on your dreams and goals, the more time you have to prepare and challenge yourself. If you have a goal, work hard towards it, and if you haven't found one yet, think about it while cherishing your passions and feelings.
And it's also important to maintain your passion. Maintaining motivation can be difficult, but I believe that those who always approach things with a challenging attitude grow faster. Cherish the passion within you and keep working hard.

Junior and Senior High School Newspaper, April 2026 Issue: Fuka Ota, 4th year student at Toyo University / Kyohei Nakazawa, 2nd year student at Waseda University

TV anime third season "Jujutsu Kaisen" "Death Extinction Tour Part 3"
© Gege Akutami / Shueisha, Jujutsu Kaisen Production Committee

Yuna Yamamoto (3rd year, Keio University) / Remi Yoneda (2nd year, Aoyama Gakuin University) / Haruna Shoji (3rd year, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences) / Naokazu Shimada (3rd year, Hosei University) / Yurie Watanabe (2nd year, Josai International University) / Chiharu Yamada (2nd year, Information Management Innovation Professional University) / Fuka Ota (4th year, Toyo University) / Satsuki Sakakura (3rd year, Tokyo Metropolitan University) / Kyohei Nakazawa (2nd year, Waseda University)