User blog comment:Noramehablia/did fairy tail finished airing??/@comment-7418318-20170327234348

Just to clarify (hopefully) one and for all.

Mashima is barely involved in the anime series.

He is not the one to decide if and when the anime is continued, that's entirely up to the anime studio, the production team and the TV Tokyo (because if they don't give a slot for the anime to air in, I doubt the producers will risk production).

So no, the anime is not on hiatus because Mashima wants to finish the manga first and no the anime is not on hiatus because Mashima wants to finish the movie first. And it won't return on Mashima's say-so, but only if and when the producers decide to continue.

Mashima might have the option of withdrawing his permission for the anime to be made, but I seriously doubt he has even that much power.