In the huge world of Anime there are many more people involved than we can think and it is not the first time we hear about the terrible working conditions in which they find themselves. So recently new data has been revealed that informs how the Japanese animation industry would be one of the most demanding and that, therefore, the animators are the worst paid and most exploited, reviving the debate on the regulation of labor in productions of this type.
Anime industry in terrible conditions, complains
For many fans of Japanese animation, it is no longer a surprise to know that each installment requires not only financial investment, but also the effort and dedication of the production team, especially the animators, since the success or failure of the anime depends on them, which has led them to have emotional problems. Having such an important task on their backs is something that very few can bear.
Although many of them have already dared to talk about the overwork, mistreatment, as well as low salaries, it seems that these statements have not changed much the work environment in which they develop. However, an organization called Nippon Anime & Film Culture Association has been created to monitor working conditions in the Japanese animation industry.
This association was in charge of conducting a survey to the labor sector of the anime industry, carried out from December 4, 2023 to January 31, 2024, in which more than 300 people participated. Here their answers pointed to a common problem: the overwork, that is, that the workday is excessively long and strenuous, which the same organization described as: “extremely long and can even be called abnormal”.
This once again set off alarm bells in the anime sector, because according to information, a working day in this industry in Japan is 163.5 hours per month. But the data collected indicated that the average number of hours is between 219 and 225 hours per month, while the maximum was 336, which means that they work more than 10 hours per day, therefore, they almost work 50% more than they usually should. All these data point to a logic of correspondence.
Thinking that if you work more than what is established and counting it as overtime, this would mean higher income, but sadly this is not true (and not only in Latam). If you consider that the hour worked is equivalent to 600 to 800 yen, your average income would be around 249,000 yen or less than 200,000 yen per month, much lower than the national average salary of 310,000 yen.
This first survey included 191 animators, 44 directors, 35 people related to production and 23 seiyuus, its main objective being to confirm the image of the anime industry that has recently been the talk of the town: long working hours and low pay. The aim is to make people understand the difficult situation in which they find themselves in order to be able to regulate the working conditions of the sector in the future.
Despite the fact that animators and other workers are going through an unequal working situation, the curious thing is that when asked if they would like to continue working in the anime industry, 71.8% answered “Agree” or “Strongly agree”. Let’s hope that all this helps and that these conditions are truly regularized.
