Ultraman, Japan's iconic tokusatsu hero franchise, is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. However, as plans for the July anniversary celebration were set to kick off, unsettling news has emerged.
According to a report by Japanese media outlet Shukan Bunshun, Tsuburaya Productions, the company behind Ultraman, is reportedly facing internal personnel turmoil, with approximately one-quarter of its workforce said to have departed, raising concerns.
An anonymous current employee told Shukan Bunshun that at least 39 full-time employees have left Tsuburaya Productions since the beginning of the year. Additionally, 13 more are expected to be seconded to other group companies or directly transferred to affiliated businesses. Tsuburaya Productions reportedly had a total workforce of approximately 210 employees. If all departures, secondments, and transfers are combined, nearly a quarter of the company's staff will have left.
The employee stated, "Those who remain are forced to take on more work, leading to a concentration of tasks among fewer individuals, and the company's internal operations are currently in considerable disarray."
The report also highlighted that Tsuburaya Productions had initially planned an organizational restructuring for April 1st. However, on March 10th and 11th, just before the reorganization, company executives and HR conducted individual interviews with employees. A former employee who has since left revealed that the company asked employees to choose from the following options:
Secondment to a group company
Transfer to another affiliated group company
Acceptance of early retirement with favorable terms
He stated, "Frankly, this was essentially a layoff (restructuring)." He also noted that a significant number of employees subsequently chose to leave the company after these interviews.
For a major company on the cusp of celebrating Ultraman's 60th anniversary, this large-scale personnel change has undoubtedly sparked considerable concern among fans. Especially given Tsuburaya Productions' recent aggressive expansion into overseas markets, the news of significant employee attrition at this time has led to external scrutiny regarding the potential impact on future production structures and company management.
via： 文春オンライン