So, here’s the scoop: As much as both you and I adore anime, the anime industry itself is, well, a mess. And that’s putting it lightly, considering that these immensely popular anime series are being worked upon by animators that are both underpaid and overworked. And nowhere is that supposed to be okay. Like, there needs to be more talk about this, especially being fans of the medium.
But why are these animators, clearly hired for their talent and ethic, being underpaid and overworked? Simply put, the demand for newer and better anime is immense, and everyone wants a slice of the profit pie. Anime has become a phenomenon in the pop culture realm, to the point where it isn’t just a niche for nerds anymore. And the anime industry’s potential is unmatched. But because of this, the higher ups are ready to cut corners to give us more and more anime, at the cost of the people actually creating the stuff.
And of course, this is abhorrent. Exploitation of any kind is bad, but creative stuff like animation is something that is a literal labor of love. It takes time and direction to create some of our favorite series. So, to do a rushed job means mistakes and general burnout amongst the animators themselves. Like, technically no one is winning here, we are quickly barrelling towards a breaking point. But can the animation studios read the writing on the wall?
Honestly, it feels like they are turning a blind eye to the complaints of many, many animators out there who have spoken up about the animation industry. But now that the animators are speaking up, they are gunning to get heard out at any cost. The debacle with MAPPA Studios is merely one example of it. So today, let’s discuss the plight of animators being underpaid and overworked, but also about what can be done to make things right. This is F.Y.I.!
Table of Contents
Animators: The Backbone Of The Anime Industry
Without animators constantly creating and innovating, anime on a whole would not exist. And the kind of animators and animation studio employees makes up half of its reputation in the industry. Back in the day, this wasn’t mainstream. The only animation studio from Japan that had true global notoriety was probably Studio Ghibli. Now, things have changed.
We know more about the anime industry now than before. We know of the animation industry that created the foundation of many anime classics and even got their own signature style. Animation became a huge part of the Japanese image, with studios such as Toei Animation and Madhouse distributing their works across the ocean and making a name for themselves. And most of that credit definitely goes to the animators.
If you have any knowledge on how animation works, you’ll recall that isn’t an easy process. Especially when it comes to anime, which is often more dynamic and vibrant than its western counterpart. There’s so much movement and emotion in well-animated anime that it’s hard to recreate the same effect without bringing in the same team that worked on a masterpiece you’re trying to invoke. It’s all very technical, but more importantly, it’s essential.
Animators are like any skilled worker, they need time and patience to painstakingly create detailed works that do their art justice. They can make or break how an anime series is received, so their work is extremely important.
Exploiting Animators Isn’t Going To Cut It Anymore
So, what happens when animators themselves go unappreciated and are forced to work long hours and overtime for nothing? Well, you get subpar work, you get people missing deadlines and projects that are simply not up the mark anymore. Everyone needs incentive to do their work, even animators.
And not providing them with the rewards that are equal to the hard work they put in is simply wrong. It’s why we are getting anime like Jujutsu Kaisen and its second season constantly facing delays and having to go on hiatus. MAPPA Studios apparently overworked their animators to the point of completing an entire season of Jujutsu Kaisen in mere months. But the worst part is that Nishii Terumi, who was the assistant director for Jujutsu Kaisen 0, raised concerns about all of this beforehand.
Nishii Terumi has been a veteran in the industry, with works like JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable under her belt. And she has been explaining for quite some time that the anime industry is quickly heading towards a collapse due to the exploitation of animators and hiring inexperienced ones to replace those that leave a rushed project. And she’s not wrong. Having experienced animators leave mid-way, only for the work to be hastily finished by someone else leads to a half-hearted product.
Which is why, this model employed by animation studios now is just plain unsustainable. The veteran animators, such as Hiroshi Kurogawa of Sailor Moon fame, are nearing retirement. Which means they will have to take a mentoring role in order to nurture the art in the newcomers. But that can’t happen when animators are not being paid enough to continue their craft with dedication.
So, where do we go from here? Honestly, something has to give. But there are some studios that are putting their animators before quick profit, such as WIT Studio. They passed on continuing Vinland Saga and Attack On Titan solely because they couldn’t meet production demands at the expense of their own employees. They put their own needs first, rather than meet genuinely unreasonable conditions placed upon them. So yes, animators can be treated right.
If ethical consumption of anime is possible, then so is ethical creation. Animators have a right to better standards at their workplace and, really, we don’t need a new subpar season every cour. I’d rather wait for a well produced anime, than immediately watch a rushed job, after all.
What do you think?
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