12/29 was the last work day of the year at Madhouse. We all dropped by the new studio to unpack and organize our belongings. The building was actually nicer than we anticipated, and even though the spaces seemed slightly smaller compared to the old location, it seemed to me that it was better suited for an anime studio.

Overall, things are back to normal. Those who have ongoing shows are already working hard and will probably continue to work throughout the remainder of the year. Meanwhile, I sat down with the producer to discuss next year's projects.

People left the studio one by one, bidding each other "Yoi otoshi o" (I wish you a good New Year's Day).  This is the only time of the year in this industry when virtually everything comes to a grinding halt, with the exception of those animators who insist on working throughout the holiday (that's their problem, though). We'll hit the ground running on January 4th, back to producing more new anime shows for you all. Until then, Yoi otoshio o!!

My Christmas was spent packing my stuff into boxes at Madhouse. No, I'm not getting kicked out--the studio is moving to another part of Tokyo. The relocation was not a big surprise, since it had been talked about for some time, and we were officially notified back in September. The new location presented to us at the time was as unattractive as it could be for anyone, but it was almost unacceptable from an anime studio's standpoint. The building had stood vacant for five years for a good reason: It was 2.2 km (about 1.4 miles) away from the nearest train station, and the last local bus that goes to the station departs at 9:30pm. If we were to miss that bus, we'd be left with two choices: either walk through unlit streets for 20 minutes to catch a late night bus that costs twice as much, or keep working until 5:00am. Parking spaces for those who drive were limited, and there were hardly any places to eat within walking distance. Plus, the building appeared to be situated in a residential area (so imagine what kind of complaints we would have gotten from the neighbors). Sure, these conditions wouldn't cause as much inconvenience for the administrative staff (since they work regular business hours) but the same cannot be said for the rest of us, who operate mostly from late afternoon until past midnight.

The presentation by management naturally turned awkward as the concerned staff addressed the issues they would have to face as a direct result of this choice of locations. Much to my surprise, the company was considerate enough to actually listen to us, and the location was determined to be unsuitable for our operations. The company went on a serious search to find our new place, which most of us found to be a big improvement over the last one. The move itself was pushed back from November to late December. Although being moved right around Christmas is somewhat upsetting, starting off the new year in a fresh environment isn't such a bad idea.