MAPPA Showcase

The **MAPPA Showcase** was a touring expo in early 2019 promoting five recent, current, and upcoming works by the Japanese animation studio MAPPA, creators of the 2016 *YURI!!! on Ice* anime.

## General Information

The showcase ran for two and a half weeks in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, a week and a half in Tenjin, Fukuoka, and came back to Ikebukuro for another three weeks, each time hosted in exhibition space inside of the PARCO department store. Tickets were 500 yen apiece and came in five designs, and ticketholders had the options of choosing the series displayed on their ticket and buying a bonus keychain to match their ticket for an additional 500 yen. At the showcase entrance was a timeline of the studio's works up until early 2019, and at the exit was a small pop-up shop exclusively for attendees, though the merchandise available varied by venue.

## Zone 1: Zombieland Saga

The first zone in the showcase featured *Zombieland Saga*, which ran from October to December 2018. The zone displayed large cardboard cutouts of several main characters, a portion of a classroom set that included a chalkboard, clothing, and a stuffed animal, and a wall covered in lineart from the animation process.

## Zone 2: Dororo

The second zone in the showcase featured the then-ongoing series *Dororo*. The room displayed large prints of studio artwork on three walls, lineart and animators' notes, and a large screen played footage of the drawing process of several characters and demons from the series. Three of the studio artwork pieces were available as prints in the pop-up shop at the showcase exit, as was a set of clear files.

## Zone 3: Kakegurui

The third zone featured the then-ongoing series *Kakegurui ××*, sequel to *Kakeguri - Compulsive Gambler*. It featured several walls covered in lineart and prints, a television screen playing the anime opening and ending themes and second season trailer, and in the farthest room, a billiards table with a replica of the cards and tokens used in the first episode game of rock-paper-scissors.

## Zone 4: Banana Fish

The fourth zone, dedicated to *Banana Fish*, featured walls covered in lineart, drafts, and animators' notes of the opening and ending animation and several scenes in early episodes of the show. A replica gun was enclosed in glass, and a large screen on one wall showed the sped-up animation process for several background scenes from the anime in between playing the opening and ending themes. In the pop-up shop, a set of key holders and two clear file sets were for sale.

## Zone 5: Yuri!!! on Ice

The final zone, showcasing *Yuri!!! on Ice*, opened with a television screen playing the opening and ending themes and trailer on repeat. Inside the room were three larger-than-life character statues of Yuuri Katsuki skating and Victor Nikiforov and Makkachin sitting and watching. Replicas of Yuuri and Victor's skating outfits spun on mannequins in one corner, and walls were minimally covered in animation lineart, studio drawings, and a wall-sized gold foil print of the cover of the *Yuri!!! on ICE SELECT BOOK*, for sale in the pop-up shop at a discounted price. At the exit was a poster for *YURI!!! on ICE the movie : ICE ADOLESCENCE*, at the time scheduled to be released in 2019, though since delayed.

## Gallery

Ikebukuro posterFukuoka posterIkebukuro rerun posterAll tickets and bonus key holders*Yuri!!! on Ice* merchandise for sale in the pop-up shop*Yuri!!! on Ice* clear file, seen in the showcase as a poster*Yuri!!! on Ice* poster for sale in the pop-up shop*Yuri!!! on ICE SELECT BOOK* cover, embossed in gold foil