On May 10, 2024, a Studio Shaft animator spoke out on X about his terrible working conditions, leading fans to draw comparisons to the MAPPA incident where animators were also forced to work non-stop without any breaks.
Despite the lack of information on which anime series this animator was working on under these challenging circumstances (as there are currently no ongoing anime series from Studio Shaft), it appeared that these conditions have been the norm for the animator for several months or even years.
As anticipated, supporters took to the internet and were reminded of the events that occurred during the broadcast of Jujutsu Kaisen season 2, in which MAPPA imposed harsh working conditions on its animators. As expected, there was widespread support for the animator and a call for him to speak out against these detrimental conditions.
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Fans’ Reactions to Studio Shaft and MAPPA Sharing the Same Working Conditions
On May 10, 2024, Hiroto Nagata, a Japanese animator from animation Studio Shaft, tweeted about his struggles with his workload. He shared that his job had become too overwhelming for him to continue working at his desk.
The animator elaborated that sitting at his desk triggers a faster heartbeat and feelings of anxiety due to the pressure he faces, ultimately hindering his ability to draw.
The animator posted another tweet on May 22, 2024, detailing the terror he experienced. In the dream, he was being choked by an unknown person at his workplace, and upon waking up, he began to feel a persistent pain in his throat.
Unfortunately, the animator continued to experience the sensation of being choked in the days following the dream, prompting him to seek medical help at a hospital. After a thorough examination, it was determined that there was no issue with his throat, leaving him wondering why he was experiencing this discomfort.
Hiroto Nagata is a skilled industry professional with a career spanning from 2016. He has gained recognition for his various contributions to anime series such as March Comes in Like a Lion (as an in-between animator), Quintessential Quintuplets (as a key animator), and RWBY: Ice Queendom (as a key animator).
Similarly, this event served as a reminder to fans of the MAPPA incident that occurred just 6 months prior, in which the animation studio had compelled its animators to work without breaks and with inadequate compensation.
Fan Response to Poor Conditions at Studio Shaft, Comparing to MAPPA
The majority of the fandom was taken aback by the revelation that a similar spectacle was occurring outside of MAPPA. Despite it being the first time an animator from Studio Shaft spoke out, fans showed unwavering support and encouraged the individual to seek assistance. Additionally, some fans expressed astonishment at the existence of a culture of exploitation in animation studios.
“Wait I thought it was only MAPPA?”a fan said
“First mappa, then Studio Shaft. Animators cant have sh*t”another fan said
“Bruh. W*f is going on yall studious get it together yall can’t sustain slave labor”another one said
Conversely, some members of the fandom expressed their sorrow at the animators’ inhumane working conditions and the toll it takes on them in order to bring joy to fans. These concerned fans sought a resolution to this injustice and aimed to challenge the perpetuation of this stereotype.
Additionally, there was a sense of joy among fans as animators began speaking out against the deplorable working conditions in their respective animation studios. There was a sense of optimism that this would lead to improvements in the future.
In addition, a fan pointed out that the animator at Studio Shaft had to endure difficult circumstances while working on anime series that may not be as widely recognized (as Studio Shaft’s anime series are primarily popular in Japan).
“This is bringing me to tears, those animators make works that bring people happiness and change their lives for the better, and then they get treated in such inhumane ways? There’s got to be a way for them to unionize, bring changes”a fan mourned
“I’m glad all these animators are starting to speak up on the shocking conditions they face to make a living. It might hopefully spark some change.”another fan said
“Damn just for a bunch of unknown sh*t as well”another one claimed
Final thoughts
The bravery of the MAPPA animators in divulging their difficult working conditions served as a catalyst for animators in other studios to also come forward about the unfair treatment they had experienced.
It is important for fans to recognize that the appropriate way to handle such an issue in a professional manner is for the animators to negotiate directly with their superiors, without involving any outside parties.
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