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In Startling Post, Yamakan Again Hints He May Retire from Anime

Warning: this story contains statements relating to thoughts of suicide and/or mental illness. If you or a loved one is in the U.S. and in need of help, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Just a few days before the updates of his anime film Twilight, Yutaka "Yamakan" Yamamoto wrote on his blog on January 23 that he's considering retirement from the anime industry. The post marks the fifth time the director has made such an announcement and he acknowledges that it was others that stopped him from retiring before.

The Kannagi director wrote that there are few decent people among staff in the anime industry but that the fan side is terrible and growing worse each year. He added that he doesn't want anyone to try to stop him from quitting this time unless they are prepared to completely change the industry, which he describes as full of "madmen".

Yamamoto ends his post stating that "there is no reason to live unless I swallow down a bunch of medicine" and that he wants to quit anime before he goes "crazy".

Yamakan has updated his blog numerous times since his post about retirement, many railing against "hater" otaku and how he perceives they will destroy anime, the corruption of the 2channel forums, Twitter, LINE, and other social media apps. He also updated about his Twilight anime film on Saturday to let readers know it was not a film for otaku and that its slogan is "Otaku Rejection." He added in the post that "vicious critics" are banned from the film and, after listing four critics in particular, said that if they attempt to watch the film he will take "physical measures" to prevent them or legal measures if they do successfully see the movie.

Yamamoto is more often in the spotlight due to his troubled behavior and inflammatory statements than his career accomplishments. His personal Twitter account and the account for his Twilight Studio and Philanimation studio were suspended last year for violating Twitter's policies against abusive, threatening, and discriminatory behavior. Prior to the suspension, he blamed otaku and China for the cancellation of the [New Life+] Young Again in Another World anime following the original author's discriminatory remarks against China and Korea.

Yamakan has lashed out at Wake Up, Girls! cast members in 2017 after the actresses remarked that they disliked panty shots in the anime's earlier season that Yamamoto directed. Yamamoto had separated from the staff for the second season, apparently on poor terms. That same year he issued an apology after he compared older otaku to individuals with physical or mental disability and insinuated that the victim of a violent assault bore some responsibility because she was an idol.

Source: Yutaka Yamamoto's blog via Hachima Kikō