Yoshiaki Kawajiri, the legendary anime director behind Ninja Scroll, has explained why he has not directed a new feature film in nearly twenty years. Now 75 years old, Kawajiri attributes his absence from directing to declining physical stamina and his perfectionist nature—he states he cannot delegate creative control and therefore finds full directing duties no longer feasible. The revelation comes as Ninja Scroll prepares for a 4K theatrical re-release in October.

Rather than retiring entirely, Kawajiri has shifted to storyboarding for high-profile anime series including Beastars, Frieren: Beyond Journey's End, and Jujutsu Kaisen, roles that allow him to remain creatively involved whilst maintaining manageable workloads. He emphasises that he only accepts projects that genuinely interest him, viewing curiosity as his greatest asset. Regarding broader industry trends, Kawajiri disputes the notion that nostalgia drives fan preferences for older anime, arguing instead that audiences simply value quality work regardless of era, and credits the emergence of original video animation in the 1980s as a pivotal moment that enabled greater creative diversity in Japanese anime.