WhileBleach: Thousand-Year Blood Warhas been extremely well-received by fans, that wasn’t always the case for the original anime, which was often criticized for poor animation and excessive amounts of filler. However, the studio behindBleach,Naruto, and many other anime is now reaffirming their intention of doing better.
In 2024, Pierrot created a new division, called “Pierrot Films,” which was created by producer Yoshihiro Tominaga with the motto of “creating animation that deeply moves the heart” in mind. Pierrot Films took over the animation ofThousand-Year Blood War, and so far that transition has mostly resulted inthe release date forThousand-Year Blood Warpart 4being pushed back. However, the reason for this delay is the intention to create the best animation possible, and taking extra time to do things right is exactly what’s needed in the animation field these days.
Pierrot’s Producer Promises The Best
The Studio’s New Approach is a Major Improvement
Ina video created by the NHK about Pierrot, the aforementioned producer, Yoshihiro Tominaga, stated that “the name change showed our commitment.No more excuses about time or money. This was our way of moving forward without looking back.” Time and money, of course, are two of the main limiting factors when it comes to animation; taking more time costs more money, and many older Pierrot works operated on strict timetables due to their non-stop release schedules. This often resulted in poor animation, which plaguedBleachandNarutoduring their runs in the 2000s.
The delay toThousand-Year Blood Warpart 4’s release seems to indicate the studio is actually following through on this promise, taking as much time and money as needed to create a truly high-quality product that will astonish fans. The animation inThousand-Year Blood Warso far has mostly been excellent, and while fans may be impatient for the grand finale, it’s worth the wait if it means that the series will be looking more beautiful than ever before.
Pierrot is Looking to Create a New Legacy
The Studio Wants to Be Seen as a Great Animation Studio
Among animation studios in Japan, Pierrot is well-known for having done the anime for many popular series, fromYu Yu Hakushoin the 1990s toBlack Clover. However, they’ve never been known for having incredible animation, the way some other well-known studios are. Many fans think ofNarutoandBleachwhen they think of Pierrot, and the poor animation and filler that those shows often experienced is what first comes to mind. Tominaga clearly wants to change this perception, and is dedicated to producing quality animation to build a new reputation.
If Pierrot Films can truly stay with this “no excuses” mindset, then it signals a major change within the company as to how to approach anime series. SplittingBleach: Thousand-Year Blood Warinto 4 parts and working on them with long breaks in between parts releasing has shown their commitment to doing things right, and hopefully that commitment will continue on into the future.
