MAPPA 15th Anniversary Expo: Epic New Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and Attack on Titan Illustrations Revealed
I honestly thought this would be another anniversary announcement with a nice poster and a few pieces of merchandise. Then MAPPA dropped an entire wave of brand-new illustrations for Jujutsu Kaisen, Chainsaw Man, and Attack on Titan, and suddenly my social feeds exploded. Reddit, X, Discord—every anime community I follow started zooming into every tiny detail like detectives hunting for hidden production clues.
That’s the funny thing about MAPPA. The studio doesn’t need to announce a trailer to get fans talking. Sometimes all it takes is one carefully drawn illustration, and thousands of people immediately begin arguing about future seasons, animation quality, and which artists worked on the designs.
The artwork was created for the upcoming MAPPA EXPO 15th Anniversary, which opens in Tokyo on September 16, 2026, before traveling across Japan. As someone who’s followed the studio since its early years, seeing how much its identity has evolved feels pretty incredible.
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Jujutsu Kaisen Completely Stole the Spotlight
If there was ever any doubt about MAPPA’s biggest current franchise, these illustrations answered it immediately.
Jujutsu Kaisen received four completely different visuals, and every single one celebrates another chapter of the series. Instead of repeating familiar poses, MAPPA treated each era like its own piece of history.
- Hidden Inventory with young Gojo and Geto.
- Jujutsu Kaisen 0 featuring Yuta Okkotsu and Toge Inumaki.
- The original trio of Yuji, Megumi, and Nobara.
- A darker illustration representing the post-Shibuya storyline.
The Hidden Inventory artwork probably hit me the hardest. Knowing everything those characters eventually go through makes even simple smiles feel bittersweet. MAPPA somehow captured that emotional weight without needing dramatic action poses.
What impressed me even more was the consistency. Every illustration feels polished enough to hang on a wall rather than disappear into a marketing campaign.
Fans are already hoping this same visual direction carries into the next stage of the anime. If these illustrations reflect the level of care going into future production, expectations are only going to get even crazier.
Chainsaw Man Still Looks Wild in the Best Possible Way
Whenever Chainsaw Man appears, I always expect chaos, and MAPPA delivered exactly that.
Denji and Reze headline the new artwork, and there’s something about the atmosphere that instantly reminds me why this franchise feels different from almost everything else in shonen anime. The lighting, facial expressions, and overall composition have that cinematic energy people loved from the television series.
It also feels like MAPPA is quietly building excitement for what’s next.
With the Reze Arc movie and Season 2 on the horizon, these illustrations almost feel like a promise that the studio isn’t dialing anything back. If anything, they’re doubling down on the emotional tension that made Fujimoto’s story so addictive.
One thing I’ve noticed across fan discussions is how obsessed everyone becomes with tiny visual details. People compare eye reflections, jacket folds, lighting direction, and even background colors looking for hints about upcoming animation. Sometimes anime fans probably overanalyze everything… but honestly, that’s part of the fun.
Attack on Titan Refuses to Leave the Conversation
I laughed when I saw Attack on Titan included because my first thought was, ‘Reiner really isn’t allowed to rest, is he?’
Even after the anime reached its conclusion, the series still carries enormous weight for MAPPA. The anniversary artwork doesn’t feel like nostalgia alone—it feels like a celebration of one of the studio’s biggest achievements.
Taking over the final chapters of such a legendary series was always going to divide fans. No matter where someone stands on the ending itself, it’s difficult to deny how much pressure MAPPA handled throughout those final seasons.
The timing also makes perfect sense since the studio is preparing new animation work connected to the upcoming Attack on Titan 3 video game. That announcement alone has many longtime fans curious to see giant Titans animated once again with modern production techniques.
More Than Pretty Posters
What separates these illustrations from ordinary promotional art is how much personality each one carries.
They’re not random character lineups.
They’re carefully designed to remind fans why these stories became global hits.
| Series | Main Focus | Fan Reaction |
|---|---|---|
| Jujutsu Kaisen | Multiple generations of characters | Massive excitement for future seasons. |
| Chainsaw Man | Denji and Reze. | Movie speculation and visual analysis. |
| Attack on Titan | Final Season tribute. | Celebration mixed with nostalgic discussion. |
Each illustration feels like it was made by artists who genuinely understand why fans love these characters instead of simply checking marketing boxes.
The Expo Sounds Like Heaven for Animation Fans
If I somehow ended up in Tokyo during the exhibition, I’d probably lose an entire day wandering around.
The event isn’t just displaying artwork.
Visitors will reportedly be able to explore production materials, storyboards, original animation drawings, creator commentary, exclusive displays, and limited anniversary merchandise built specifically around these new visuals.
That kind of behind-the-scenes content always fascinates me because animation fans rarely get to appreciate how much work happens before a single episode reaches television.
There’s also an original promotional animation tied to the anniversary celebration, complete with a brand-new theme song. MAPPA clearly isn’t treating this as a simple birthday party—they’re turning it into a showcase of everything the studio has become over the past fifteen years.
Fifteen Years Later, MAPPA Still Doesn’t Feel Like It’s Slowing Down
Looking back, it’s kind of crazy how many major franchises now carry the MAPPA logo. Action series, sports anime, psychological dramas, fantasy adventures—the studio keeps expanding while somehow staying one of the biggest talking points every anime season.
Its upcoming lineup looks stacked, and that’s probably why these anniversary illustrations generated so much excitement. Fans aren’t only celebrating the past. They’re already thinking about what’s next.
Why These Visuals Matter
- They celebrate every major era of MAPPA’s biggest franchises.
- They build anticipation for future anime projects.
- They showcase the studio’s current artistic direction.
- They remind fans how influential MAPPA has become over the past fifteen years.
Personally, the Jujutsu Kaisen artwork won me over, but I wouldn’t blame anyone for picking Chainsaw Man or Attack on Titan instead. Every franchise received the kind of attention you’d expect from a studio celebrating one of the biggest milestones in its history.
Final Thoughts from a Fan
September suddenly feels much farther away than it should. Until the expo finally opens, I’m fully expecting these illustrations to keep fueling theories, wallpaper collections, and endless debates across anime communities. If one batch of artwork can create this much noise, imagine what happens when MAPPA finally starts showing new footage from its next wave of projects.
