Taro Maki Raises Concerns Over Anime's Creative Decline

Critique of Originality in Anime

The anime industry generates billions of dollars, but at what creative cost? Taro Maki, the renowned producer known for cult classics such as Tokyo Godfathers, Millennium Actress, and Serial Experiments Lain, recently expressed his dismay regarding the current state of the medium. In a recent interview, Maki lamented that "everything has become more superficial," attributing this trend to the corporate mindset dominating Japan's creative landscape.

The Fear of Negative Evaluations

Maki's concerns are backed by statistics: during the fall/winter season of 2025, a staggering 85.7% of anime were adaptations of mangas, novels, or games, leaving only 14.3% for original works. He places the blame on "corporate producers," executives who prioritize avoiding mistakes over fostering innovation. "In Japan, the evaluation system focuses on the negative rather than the positive. Avoiding errors is the top priority," he explained.

The Risks of Innovation

According to Maki, directors like Sunao Katabuchi (of In This Corner of the World) and even legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki needed to experience failures and take risks to achieve their groundbreaking successes. However, the current industry climate offers little room for such flexibility. As Maki puts it, "Ideally, 70% of titles should be 'safe,' but the remaining 30% should embrace new challenges." By sidelining works that are difficult to grasp or experimental, the industry risks stagnation and the loss of its ability to engage mature audiences.

Source: Kudasai