The journey toward the much-anticipated movie adaptation of “Yuri!! On Ice” titled “ICE ADOLESCENCE” has unfortunately come to an abrupt and disappointing end.
The animation studio MAPPA, along with the film’s production committee, recently announced the cancellation of the project, citing a unanimous decision due to “various circumstances” following thorough internal discussions.
This news has left fans worldwide disheartened, especially considering the long-standing anticipation since the film’s initial announcement back in April 2017.
「ユーリ!!! on ICE 劇場版 : ICE ADOLESCENCE」
製作中止のお知らせ
“YURI!!! on ICE the movie : ICE ADOLESCENCE” Cancellation Notice#yurionice pic.twitter.com/3ykLBgsvoB
— TVアニメ「ユーリ!!! on ICE」 (@yurionice_PR) April 19, 2024
The original television series, which debuted in October 2016, quickly became a fan favorite and was available for streaming on Crunchyroll as it aired. Expectations were high when the movie’s production was first revealed, but fans faced the first in a series of delays in September 2019.
The studio explained that the delay was necessary to “substantially scale up the content more than originally planned.” Further updates in 2020 seemed promising, indicating ongoing efforts to enrich the film even more, though no release date was provided at that time.
Fans credit Jujutsu Kaisen for Yuri!! On Ice movie cancellation
The final cancellation announcement has sparked a wave of frustration among fans, many of whom are pointing fingers at another of MAPPA’s projects, “Jujutsu Kaisen,” which recently announced its third season. This speculation arises from the timing of “Jujutsu Kaisen’s” success and its subsequent prioritization by the studio, which some fans believe came at the expense of “Yuri!! On Ice.”
Social media platforms are abuzz with reactions from disappointed viewers. One fan expressed their dismay bluntly:
“yuri on ice movie cancelled so i blocked jujutsu kaisen,” indicating a direct response to the perceived competition between the two projects.
Another fan noted, “Love that the last update on the Yuri on Ice movie before this was in later 2019 going ‘okay we’re gonna delay it a bit’ and then Jujutsu Kaisen started in 2020 and oops uh oh wuh oh MAPPA,” suggesting a correlation between the rise of “Jujutsu Kaisen” and the neglect of “Yuri!! On Ice.”
The frustration is palpable, with one user remarking, “Yuri on Ice made MAPPA what it is today AND it had OLYMPIC ATHLETES WORLDWIDE talking about it, referencing & loving it. And MAPPA just dropped it, once it became big enough with Jujutsu Kaisen getting into Guinness Record.”
The cancellation has indeed left a void for fans who have been patiently waiting through years of updates and delays. The future remains uncertain for “Yuri!! On Ice: ICE ADOLESCENCE,” and unless there is a reversal in the studio’s decision, the ice will remain untraveled by Yuri and his ensemble.
