Tom Cruise and Iñárritu Visit MAPPA EXPO 15th Anniversary, Praise Jujutsu Kaisen Art

An exhibition marking the 15th anniversary of the animation studio MAPPA — the team behind Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc, Shingeki no Kyojin The Final Season, Jujutsu Kaisen and more — is currently on view in Tokyo. Among the visitors was Tom Cruise, who came to Japan to promote his new film DIGGER, together with director Alejandro G. Iñárritu.

The two walked through displays that let guests experience the worlds and expressions of MAPPA’s productions, and also took part in a creator talk with animator Hiramatsu Yoshifumi, whose career spans a long list of animated works. The conversation covered filmmaking and animation from each of their perspectives.

Overwhelmed by the Scale of the Exhibits

Stepping into the exhibition area, Cruise and Iñárritu appeared overwhelmed by the number and size of the exhibits as they made their way forward. “It’s truly wonderful. I was looking forward to it,” Cruise said. Iñárritu smiled as he revealed, “My son is a big fan of this place.”

In the Jujutsu Kaisen Area: Framing, Hair and Hand-Drawn Lines

The pair’s first stop was the Jujutsu Kaisen area. Surrounded by original drawings rendered with care, sheet by sheet, they were struck by the delicacy of the linework and stared intently. “This style, this hair… and the framing…” Cruise observed, while Iñárritu added, “And this angle.”

Cruise also asked Hiramatsu, “How much of this is done by hand?” Hiramatsu spoke about having grown up as an animator with paper and pencil, and Iñárritu followed up with a question of his own: “How many staff members are involved in making a single episode?”

Cruise went on to ask, “Let me ask — do young animators still draw by hand, or is digital more common?” Hiramatsu answered, “The younger generation is mostly digital, but I believe it is also important to start from paper.” Cruise replied, “I feel the same way. You sense more of the artistry in it. It’s the same with recording — the artist’s voice remains.” The exchange suggested a deep point of shared understanding between creators working in different media.

A Creator Talk in Front of Chainsaw Man

The two then headed to the area for the theatrical film Chainsaw Man: Reze Arc, where a creator talk with animator Hiramatsu Yoshifumi took place with a sculpture of the work’s iconic Chainsaw Man character behind them.

Hiramatsu opened with his impressions of DIGGER. “I was actually able to see it once, and I felt it was not only interesting but that the detail was very deep, so I asked to watch it again and saw it twice. The camera, the color, the music and the sound effects. And Tom’s performance was wonderful as well — I felt it was something you could only experience in a movie theater.”

Cruise responded, “When footage shot on set with meticulous attention to every detail is shown on a huge screen, that ‘depth of the frame’ creates such a tremendous sense of three-dimensionality that it almost seems like 3D.” Iñárritu added, “We spent a year on the music and sound effects. Surprisingly, we used actual animal cries for the sound effects.”

“We Built It the Way Animation Is Built”

Iñárritu appeared moved as he said, “Because Hiramatsu-san has that sensitivity, you understood what we wanted to depict, and I felt rewarded.” He then shared behind-the-scenes details of the shoot: “For this film, we locked in every concept before shooting. We set up three walls in the studio, brought in the main unit’s camera and lenses, and used that footage the way you would use storyboards. From there we built the lighting as well.”

He continued passionately, “I think the way this film was made is similar to animation. Animation has to create not only character designs but the world behind them — the roads, the houses. We did not shoot outdoors at all for this film. Everything that appears in this film’s world has to express the context of the characters, and that is how we made it. Every scene, every frame, was built the same way as animation.”

Tom Cruise on Taking On Digger Rockwell

Hiramatsu asked Cruise about the challenge of playing the protagonist, Digger Rockwell — a role different from the image the actor has built over his career. Cruise answered, “I think this is the most original film. I have never seen a character like this in the history of cinema. So I was honored to be able to make it together with director Iñárritu and to play this character.”

A Surprise Illustration and the Message “There Is TRUTH within a LIE”

At the end of the talk, Hiramatsu surprised the two with a gift: an illustration of the protagonist, Digger Rockwell, drawn by hand and inspired by what he had taken from DIGGER. Delighted by the unexpected present, Cruise asked, “Did you draw this yourself, Hiramatsu-san?” and shook Hiramatsu’s hand firmly. Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu offered his thanks in Japanese: “Arigatou.”

The two also noticed a message written alongside the illustration — “There is TRUTH within a LIE.” “This is exactly what this film is,” Cruise and Iñárritu said, looking at each other in excitement. Speaking about the film, Iñárritu said, “I especially want the younger generation to see it. I want them to understand how to look at reality, so that they are not misled.”

The Rumbling, and a Final “I love it!”

After the talk, the two continued through the venue, taking in the “Rumbling” exhibit, which combines video and three-dimensional art to express the world of Shingeki no Kyojin The Final Season. They studied the displays closely down to the finest details, closing out a special stretch of time spent with Japanese animation and MAPPA’s craftsmanship across a range of works and styles of expression. Asked at the end for their impressions of the exhibition, they left clearly satisfied, saying, “I love it!”

Tom Cruise’s DIGGER Opens in Theaters

DIGGER, the latest film from Tom Cruise, who visited the MAPPA EXPO 15th Anniversary, opened in theaters on October 9. It is described as a work into which Cruise — who has captivated audiences around the world with the Mission: Impossible series and many other historic hits — poured everything of his career. Released alongside master director Iñárritu, it is a globe-scale disaster entertainment event.

DIGGER: Film Overview

MAPPA EXPO 15th Anniversary: Event Details

(C) 2026 WBEI and Legendary
© 2025 MAPPA / Chainsaw Man Project
© Fujimoto Tatsuki / Shueisha
© Isayama Hajime, Kodansha / Shingeki no Kyojin The Final Season Production Committee
© Akutami Gege / Shueisha, Jujutsu Kaisen Production Committee
© 2021 Jujutsu Kaisen 0 the Movie Production Committee
© Akutami Gege / Shueisha