Studio MAPPAhas made quite a name for itself in recent years with sensational series likeJujutsu Kaisen,Chainsaw Man,and the final season ofAttack on Titan.That said, MAPPA has an interesting new original anime on the horizon, and it could be the studio’s most defining work yet. Not to mention the series is coming toCrunchyrollsooner than fans think.

Crunchyroll recently unveiled anew trailer forZENSHU, MAPPA’s new original anime releasing this Winter onJanuary 5, 2025. The series was first announced back in March 2024 and follows an aspiring animator named Natsuko Hirose, whose first anime becomes an instant hit. ​​​​​As seen in the latest trailer, Natsuko gains recognition as a genius new director but finds herself struggling with her next project and eventually passes out from exhaustion. When she eventually wakes up, she finds herself in the world of her favorite childhood anime calledA Tale of Perishing.

MAPPA Is Ready To Launch New Series With an Overworked Animator as a Protagonist

Zenshu Is Guaranteed To Stir Up Controversy

Besides producing amazing adaptations, MAPPA also has a track record for creating some of the best original anime likeYuri on Ice,andTerror in Resonance, withZENSHUrecently joining MAPPA’s exciting 2025 lineup alongside other originals likeLazarus.ZENSHUhas received a lot of attention ahead of its release due to its protagonist being an overworked animator, the reason beingMAPPA’s history of controversiessurrounding the toxic work environment at the studio and the exploitation of its animators.

Over the years, the studio has been criticized countless times for mistreating and overworking animators, with former employees even likening the work environment to a factory. The scrutiny surrounding MAPPA’s unhealthy work practices reached a boiling once again back in November 2023 when animators opened up about the unreasonable schedules and tight deadlines at MAPPA in response to theproduction issues surroundingJujutsu Kaisen’s second season.

As such, it is quite ironic that MAPPA chose to create an anime likeZENSHUdespite their reputation. It will be interesting to see how the series tackles this particular aspect of the series, as Natsuko being overworked to death is essentially the main catalyst of the story. Depending on the execution,ZENSHUcould end up being either self-aware or completely tone-deaf, though the fact that the series has been written by the talented Kimiko Ueno (Space Dandy, Yu-Gi-Oh!, Delicious in Dungeon) suggests there may be hope after all.

Source: Crunchyroll (press release)