Why WIT Studio Let Go of Attack on Titan? Will MAPPA Succeed in Bringing Its Final Chapter to a Close?
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FOLIO OTN – The change of studios behind Attack on Titan remains one of the most discussed production decisions in modern anime. After WIT Studio handled the first three seasons, MAPPA took responsibility for the series’ final season, a transition that initially surprised many fans. Years later, WIT Studio president and CEO George Wada offered a clearer perspective on why the handover happened.
According to Wada, the decision was not simply about WIT Studio losing interest in the franchise. Producing an anime of Attack on Titan’s scale required considerable resources, while the timing of the manga’s popularity and a studio’s production schedule could create difficult circumstances. Wada explained that the series was ultimately able to reach completion because another studio was willing to take over the project.
This meant MAPPA became responsible for adapting the concluding portion of Hajime Isayama’s story. The transition occurred when Attack on Titan: The Final Season began airing in December 2020, marking a major visual and production shift for audiences who had become familiar with WIT Studio’s approach.
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Rather than expressing resentment toward MAPPA, Wada has spoken positively about the studio taking over the franchise. He emphasized that the continuation allowed the story to reach its intended conclusion and described MAPPA as a capable studio that could carry the enormous responsibility.
The circumstances also highlight a broader problem within anime production. A hugely successful title can still be difficult for a studio to continue when budgets, schedules, staffing, and production commitments do not align. In other words, popularity alone does not guarantee that the same animation studio will remain attached to a project until the end.
For WIT Studio, stepping away from Attack on Titan did not mean disappearing from the anime industry. The studio continued working on other notable productions, including Ranking of Kings and SPY x FAMILY, while expanding its portfolio with additional projects.
