Biography
Masao Maruyama is one of the most influential producers in Japanese animation, credited with shaping the medium's arthouse and prestige side across more than five decades [1]. Born in 1941 in Miyagi Prefecture [1], he joined Osamu Tezuka's Mushi Production in 1965 and later co-founded the studio Madhouse in 1972 with Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri, becoming its president in 1980 [4]. Under his leadership Madhouse produced all four of Satoshi Kon's directorial features, Perfect Blue, Millennium Actress, Tokyo Godfathers, and Paprika, along with Mamoru Hosoda's early films The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Summer Wars [4]. In 2011 he left to found MAPPA, where he served as representative director on projects such as In This Corner of the World before stepping back to lead the planning studio M2 in 2016 [1]; MAPPA has continued producing under his influence, including the 2023 film Mfinda, on which he serves as producer [2]. Maruyama has spoken candidly about using MAPPA and M2 to develop younger talent, saying he tries "to figure out how to provide animators with a relaxed environment so they don't feel stressful or fearful" [3]. He remains an active producer into his eighties [1].
I always think of what I can do. MAPPA usually has younger directors and producers, and once they gain experience in MAPPA, I would make them go into M2 and they can pursue what they want to create.