Studio MAPPA has been putting out such an absurd volume of content that people are equally excited and concerned every time the studio’s name pops up in their feed. They’ve produced content at such an inhumane rate that it’s almost weirder when something that they’ve announced HASN’T been talked about in a while.
Two feature films from the studiohave been announced in years past that have been stuck in a sort of limbo with few updates and only one teaser trailer for each of them since their announcements. First the highly anticipated film continuation ofYuri on Ice,Ice Adolescence, and second, Mari Okada’s next directorial work,Alice and Therese’s Illusion Factory.
RELATED:Is A1 Pictures Trying To One-Up MAPPA?
The Yuri on Ice Waiting Room
Of the two works,Ice Adolescenceis undoubtedly the more anticipated of the two, as its parent series is the international sensation that propelled MAPPA to new heights. It will never cease to be amazing how such a colossal success hasn’t yielded a more immediate continuation to the brand, but with each passing year,its release feels more and more like a dream.
The film was announced in 2017 hot off the heels of the series' success, with not much known about the production at the time. In 2018, Avex Pictures' first teaser for the film was unveiled, with naught but a key visual of Victor Nikiforov walking alone, suggesting him to be the focal point of the story.
Looking back, it’s interesting to note how oddly sad the music choice and color scheme of the teaser is. The camera angle panning downward into darkness andthe progression of the musicechoing a descent suggests something more dramatic than the frankly delightful series. But still, no details were given regarding the plot.
It wasn’t until 2020 that fans' worries were ever so slightly abated by the release of a second, longer trailer that had a decidedly happier tone. It was a look back at Victor’s youth, at age 17, right as he was about to perform. The music, far from the dour tone of the first teaser, is electric and builds up the story as something truly grand.
As the title fades in over a city skyline, even the color of the title is warmer, a harsh contrast to the deep dark blue of the initial teaser. What little has been shown suggests that the film will spotlight Victor’s youth and his career leading up to and perhaps past the events of the series. None of the other cast members have been seen in the marketing,not even Victor’s love interestand the protagonist of the TV anime, Yuri Katsuki.
There’s so much that isn’t known about the film, which expectedly necessitates a certain restraint with expectations, but there’s an understandable amount of hope for what the film could be. Some speculate the film could be more dramatic, maybe even more forthright with its themes of love. Its representation of gay romance was a big step forward, but there was still censorship that prevented what could have been.
After films likeStranger by the Shoreor shows likeGiven, anime that arguably were able to exist because ofYuri on Ice, it makes sense thatIce Adolescencecould get away with more. An on-screen kiss, a love scene, or even casual expressions/admissions of love, would be exactly what fans have been looking for.
Before the aforementioned second trailer was even released, the film was supposed to come out in 2019, but was delayed to “substantially scale up the content more than originally planned.“Perhaps the film was going to be shorter, akin toStranger by the Shore’s hour-length narrative before the committee decided it should be more substantial.
The last statement regarding the production came along with the trailer, and said this:
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 our unwavering love and dedication for skating. We deeply apologize to all fans for the circumstance and ask for your generous understanding.
- YURI!!! on ICE Production Committee, MAPPA Co., Ltd.
What Is Going On In Mari Okada’s New Movie?
Mari Okada’s renown within anime needs little introduction, as she’s served as a screenwriter for a ludicrous number of projects, be they original or adapted. However, she made her directorial debut withMaquia: When The Promised Flower Blooms, writing and directinga fantastical drama about motherhoodand the march of time.
Maquiawas a bit hit, loved by critics and audiences, which makes it so strange that her newest film hasn’t gotten many updates since its announcement in 2021.Alice and Therese’s Illusion Factorywas announced in June 2021 via a gorgeous 2-minute trailer - quite a treat for the announcement of a film that few saw coming.
It looked as if the film was well into production judging by how much there was to share, the quality of the artwork, andthe versatility of the animation on display. However, such things can be deceptive and MAPPA has pre-animated trailers for projects before. With that said, Even if the trailer was three minutes long, it might not have been easy to decipher.
According to ANN, Okada described the film as a “first-love fantasia story” about “fighting fate with love as the weapon.” It sounds very much like a fairytale, something that comes across in the poster released with the announcement. However, the trailer looks far more like a modern fantasy, set in a provincial town.
There is practically no dialog save for a very passionate if somewhat out-of-nowhere, scream from one of the characters. The trailer’s vertical captions are all the audience is given with regard to words, which feels like a nod to oldertrailer editing styles from classic Japanese films. And even with that, the story is difficult to grasp.
From what can be gleaned through the available translations of the trailer, the film is about love at the end of the world, and at the center, a boy “separated from the flock,” lost in his dreams. Everything is so vague and the ideas that serve as the draw to the story are so broad that its core appeal seems almost indecipherable.
And yet, it looks to be such an adeptly crafted film in every pretty frame that it undoubtedly has pulled in many because it asks so many questions.It’s an irritatingly tantalizing trailer, sitting at over 5 million views as of the time of writing, making it so much more confusing how it hasn’t been given some sort of update.
It’s unclear what exactly has held back these projects so much. Perhaps they’ve merely been kept at the back of the line to make room for other projects. Alternatively - or perhaps resultantly - the films have faced hardships in their creation. Regardless, audiences are clearly eager to see both projects, so it’s just a matter of which will see the light of day first.
MORE:What Anohana Teaches You About Grief And Childhood TraumaSource:Yuri on Ice Official Site, Anime News Network[1][2][3]
