News
Chainsaw Man Director Ryū Nakayama Establishes Anime Production Unit
posted on by Egan Loo & Rafael Antonio Pineda
Anime director Ryū Nakayama announced on Saturday that he is establishing Andraft, a new creative unit for animation production. The company is now recruiting in-between and key animators, animation directors, technical directors, background artists, art directors, visual development artists, production assistants, and producers.
Andraft's website describes its mission:
Andraft Inc. is a creative unit founded in 2023 by director, producer and animator Ryū Nakayama. We want to establish an environment where we can continue to take on various challenges without being bound by existing concepts and maintain that impetus for as long as possible. To bring even freer expression to more people in the time to come, so that we can enjoy it together. As a place where you can truly face your creativity.
In its job recruitment notice, Andraft says it is seeking contract or outsourced workers for a three-month trial period, with possible promotion to regular employee status after. The salary depends on experience and abilities, but Andraft offers a sample salary of 350,000 yen (about US$2,400) a month for an experienced worker, with up to 20 hours of overtime already factored into that salary amount.
Andraft has an office in the western Tokyo neighborhood of Ogikubo (near other anime companies), but remote work is allowed for those who live far from there. The daily hours are under the flextime schedule, although employees must work during a certain set of core hours. Previous industry experience is not necessary, as Andraft says it values those with a passion for creativity.
Andraft's first work is the collaboration promotional video between the VSPO! esports VTuber agency and Bushiroad's Cardfight!! Vanguard card game. Nakayama stated that he was the director, storyboarder, and animation producer for the video.
Nakayama's work on the 2022 television anime adaptation of Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man manga was his series directorial debut work. Prior to that, he had worked as key animator and animation director on a number of anime projects, beginning with key animation on Tantei Opera Milky Holmes in 2010. He has served as animation director on episodes of Wake Up, Girls!, Barakamon, Yatterman Night, Sword Art Online the Movie: Ordinal Scale, Gamers!, Black Clover, Fate/Grand Order Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia, and Jujutsu Kaisen.
