He fears Japan is so hell-bent on cranking out money-spinning genres, such as those starring "kawaii" cute female characters, that its anime "doesn't necessarily outshine" America's Disney or France's arthouse productions in terms of creativity. The 81-year-old acknowledged his career was in its twilight, and Maruyama was far from optimistic as he prepared to leave behind an industry he helped shape. Maruyama doesn't draw or direct, but he has clout that few in Japan's anime industry can match because of the breadth of the behind-the-scenes roles he has played - from studio founder and recruiter to fixer. If more freedom is unleashed, Japan will be overtaken in no time." "The only reason China hasn't quite caught up with Japan yet is because of a bunch of restrictions imposed on free expression there. "In Japan, people are no longer trained in animation," he told AFP in an interview. Maruyama, a protege of manga great Osamu Tezuka, said he fears Japan is losing its edge. Japan's powerhouse anime business risks being overtaken by rising Chinese competition because a tilt towards commercialism has stifled creativity, industry heavyweight Masao Maruyama has warned.
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