The animation industry may face significant challenges if the subpar working conditions in studios persist, according to a recent United Nations report.
It is disheartening to realize that many acclaimed anime films and series are crafted in environments that are far from ideal for animators. In Japan, long working hours coupled with low wages put immense pressure on animation professionals, creating an increasingly unstable situation across the sector.
A report by the UN released in May 2024 highlights various critical issues plaguing the animation industry in Japan. If these identified challenges are not addressed promptly, the report warns of a “potential collapse” in the coming years.
The findings indicate that 30% of anime professionals endure “excessively long working hours” and face “unjust” employment conditions, largely due to their freelance or contract statuses. This arrangement means that companies can evade the comprehensive employment criteria that would otherwise apply to full-time employees.
Starting wages hover around $10,000, or approximately 1.5 million yen – an alarmingly low figure that prevents many from solely relying on their animation careers, prompting them to secure additional jobs for financial support. Furthermore, agreements regarding intellectual property for emerging talent “inadequately safeguard” their rights, fostering further inequities and negative workplace culture.
Concurrently, the UN report points out a “significant labor shortage,” emphasizing the necessity to resolve these systemic issues immediately, or face dire consequences. This concern coincides with findings from the NAACP, revealing that a considerable number of anime professionals have either experienced or observed harassment and abuse in their work environments.
This information may not come as a surprise to loyal fans, as the overall quality of productions has noticeably declined over the past year. Earlier this month, Uzumaki received backlash for inconsistent quality across episodes, while Blue Lock Season 2 encountered similar criticism.
Production teams are increasingly overburdened and resorting to shortcuts, leading to a concerning outlook for the future of the medium. Urgent action is needed to preserve the integrity of anime.
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