After more than seven years of delays and constant assurances of the film’s release, MAPPA has cancelled the highly anticipated cinematic sequel to their award-winning original anime series, Yuri on Ice the Movie: Ice Adolescence – and oh boy, are fans unhappy with the anime studio’s inability to deliver on their promised routine.
Directed and written by Sayo Yamamoto, Yuri on Ice is a sports romance anime that centers around the struggles of Yuuri Katsuki (CV: Toshiyuki Toyonaga – Mitsuki Kiryuu in Wind Breaker), a Japanese ice skater who finds his spirits absolutely broken following a humiliating loss in the Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.
Strongly considering hanging up his skates for good, Yuuri’s drive to cut the ice is soon revived after a chance meeting with five-time world champion Victor Nikiforov (CV: Junichi Suwabe – Shouei Barou in Blue Lock) and up incoming Russian ice skater Yuri Plisetsky (CV: Kouki Uchiyama – Tomura Shigaraki in My Hero Academia) inspires him to compete against them for the skating world’s highest honor.
Eventually turning out to be a massive success among both critics and general audiences, the production of Yuri on Ice was not only resulted in MAPPA staving off a then-looming bankruptcy, but also its being established as a powerhouse contender in the field of anime animation.
First announced just a year after the anime’s conclusion at the 2017 ‘Yuri!! on Stage’ event, Yuri on Ice the Movie: Ice Adolescence would eventually be slated for a 2019 theatrical release date.
However, in September 2019, the film’s production community announced via the anime’s official website that “Yuri on Ice the Movie: Ice Adolescence, which was scheduled to be released this year, will now be postponed in order to substantially scale up the content more than originally planned.”
“We apologize for the change in the release date to all those who are looking forward to this work,” they added. “The entire staff will strive to bring a fully mature film to fruition”.
After another year of radio silence, November 2020 finally saw MAPPA release a second teaser for Ice Adolesence.
Unfortunately for fans, alongside the preview, the production team issued a statement notifying them that “the production of Yuri on Ice the Movie: Ice Adolescence is still ongoing with the aim of further enriching the film. However, we have not yet reached the stage where we can announce the release date.”
“Our team will continue to work diligently to deliver a film and share unwavering love and dedication for skating,” said the studio. “We deeply apologize to all fans for the circumstance and ask for your generous understanding.”
Despite giving fans hope, outside of an official illustration released in 2021, MAPPA had remained completely silent on Yuri on Ice the Movie: Innocence Adolescence‘s production status for the next three years.
Then, on April 18th, 2024, the Yuri on Ice official twitter account notified fans that, after seven years in production, the film had officially been cancelled by studio MAPPA.
“Thank you very much for always supporting Yuri on Ice. Regarding the postponed release of Yuri on Ice the movie: Ice Adolescence, we have come to the decision to cancel its production. We deeply apologize for not being able to meet your expectations of all those who have been waiting and continue to support us throughout these years.”
Following the announcement, the statement continues reveals the events that lead up to the film’s cancellation. “The production committee and staff have been in constant discussions to create and deliver the movie, but due to various circumstances, we have had to make the difficult decision to stop the production. We sincerely apologize to everyone who has been anticipating its release and thank you once again for your continued support.”
Immediately after the news was tweeted, furious, several heartbroken Western fans accused MAPPA of betraying the very anime that saved the studio from going under and into the powerhouse studio it is today.
@katsukiiraida tweeted “What was the point of releasing a statement in 2019 saying how the budget for the movie increased and that you would improve the quality of this movie so it was being delayed, the releasing the movie teaser in 2020, the releasing official arts in 2021 IF THIS WAS THE END RESULTS?”
“Just sell the rights to another studio,” @blerdgurlwatch1 demanded. “Why even reveal a trailer and constantly push back YOI release dates?? Stringing fans along for nearly 8 years only to do this just shows how disingenuous MAPPA is to their fans. I hope future animations decide against working with them.”
“Not even remotely surprising but what an absolute s–tshow,” said @Divinenega. “Ridiculous to see this shit happen to the series that helped MAPPA become successful. Not to mention leaving one of animals best directors in creative limbo for over half a decade.”
Despite being disappointed by the Yuri on Ice the Movie: Ice Adolescence cancellation, @Divinenega did acknowledge how the “only potential silver lining here is this theoretically frees Sayo Yamamoto to make a new project, and I hope she does, but since the industry has gotten more hostile towards original works its hard to be even that optimistic.”
“Mappa’s fumble with Yuri on Ice is one for History and I mean that in the most negative way possible,” @hunieday emphasized. “Sweeping one of THE most influential shows in the 2010s under the rug in favor of overworking your animators on Shounen Anime #13 is straight up disrespectful. shame on you MAPPA.”
“Seven years of making fans who were passionate about your golden goose that kickstarted your studio’s fame wait and for WHAT. SHOUNEN SLOP??,” they added.
Looking for an outlet for their outrage, some fans blamed MAPPA’s fumbling of Yuri on Ice on their supposed prioritizing of their mainstream Shonen series, such as Attack on Titan, Jujutsu Kaisen and Chainsaw Man.
“Boooo yall f–cking suck!!!!!!!!!!!,” @mugii_chan proclaimed. “Yuri on Ice is what made yall just for yall to abandon it for other mainstream animes booooooooo.”
“If you just released the last season of AOT at the same time instead of making it into 69 parts u could’ve had Yuri on Ice done by now but noooo,”@masangtaesimp tweeted.
@Void_kak11 claimed that “MAPPA is a classic case of using women/girls and queer people as stepping stones, only to abandon them after becoming mainstream (only shounen counts)”.
“These bastards literally started off with a josei adaptation, then gained international recognition through YOI,” they added.
“Cancelled the movie of the series that put them on the map so they can continue overworking their animators for 46 more seasons of the action animes,”@antichronic stated.
They then further declared that “companies profiting off queer content only to put them in the back burner once they get the success that they sought for deserve to get thrown down into the endless pit of hell.”
“How ironic,”wrote @HiMyNameIsChair. “The show that kickstarted Otsuka’s raging hard-on for chasing profits via tight schedules and overpacked production lines. in the end, it was that same system being driven to it’s breaking point that finally killed it off (even if it was dead a long time ago)
“Anyways Manabu Otsuka is a capitalist clown who loves money, and doesn’t give a s–t that his studio is a raging dumpster fire,” they noted. “Such a dumpster fire that they had to hand off that juicy Fujimoto one shot bag to the only man who could one-man army a movie lol.”
Some fans were so devastated by the news of the film’s cancellation that they went so far as to send outright death threats to studio MAPPA and its employees.
“Kill yourselves,”@xiaonade demanded. “I’ve waited for like 8 years for this and you guys cancel it like that. y’all could’ve just put it away and release it later in life but nuh uh you had to cancel it. YOI walked before CSM, JJK AOT could run. This was my awakening bro, KYS”
Alongside a gif of an anime character loading a hand gun with bullets, @todollua threatened the Mappa CEO, “Oh yall thought I was mentally unstable before..oh just you wait Manabu Otsuka. Just you wait.”
“Manabu Otsuka, you will be dealt with,” theyconcluded.
