Pierrot president confesses that 'Naruto' and 'Bleach' were very close to cancellation in 2011

‘Naruto’ and ‘Bleach’ are two of the most important manga and anime in history, two shonen series that created a school and have millions of followers worldwide. Currently, they continue to enjoy success, but although it may come as a surprise, they were on the verge of being canceled due to the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in 2011. This is according to a statement made by Michiyuki Honma, president of Pierrot, the historic Japanese animation studio, to the Japanese media Natalie.

“When the Great East Japan Earthquake struck, we felt a great crisis. At that time, our company was producing four or more movies a week, such as ‘NARUTO Shippuden’ and ‘BLEACH,’ but the production line was in disarray, and depending on the station,” said Michiyuki Honma. “The show stopped broadcasting, and our income became unstable. This continued for two months, and we were at the point where we thought we might have no choice but to disband.”

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‘Naruto’, ‘Bleach’ and what almost caused a natural disaster

Even the most successful series can experience complicated moments due to the social context of the moment, and it is the Great East Japan Earthquake that caused enormous damage at all levels in Japan. A moment of enormous impact on the anime industry, but Pierrot was saved thanks to the help of other production companies: “I was supported by my friends in the industry, the bank that provided the financing, and secondary income other than production costs.”

Currently, ‘Bleach’ is experiencing a high point with the anime adaptation of the series finale after many years of waiting, while the ‘Naruto’ universe continues today, although it ended several years ago with the Next Generation story, and through a series of four special episodes dedicated to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the anime.