The anime industry has transformed over the last couple of decades, going from a niche industry that rarely bloomed outside of Japan to one of the most popular hobbies among many demographics. Thanks to classic shows like Dragon Ball and more recent hits like Demon Slayer, this medium has become one of the most influential in recent history.
Yet, despite the massive success that anime has seen outside of Japan, the working conditions have done nothing but worsen. Kyoko Kotani, a director and animator known for his work on My Hero Academia and Spy x Family, has opened up about the issues that afflict the industry in a recent post on his X (formerly Twitter) account.
Anime Is Becoming an Unsustainable Medium
Viewers’ Expectations Make Things Much Harder for Workers
It is no secret to fans that the anime industry has seen an increase in the issues that make the lives of workers more difficult over the last couple of years. From animators being overworked, to shows like Blue Lock having controversially bad animation, to voice actors being forced to fight for their rights, many controversies have surrounded this beloved medium. Recently, Kotani has taken to social media to share a new problem that has made the production of new anime seasons harder than ever.
“For a long time now, TV series have been expected to meet the same quality of theatrical films, making production increasingly difficult. There is a shortage of staff across all sections of the industry compared to the total number of projects being made, making it difficult to produce and air consecutive cours. I think [Toei Animation is] a company where making more than four cours of an anime is the norm. If the studio stopped doing this, the knowledge wouldn’t be passed down, and it would be very hard to ever do again. Recently, production teams often lack experience working on an anime including two or more consecutive cours.”
-Kotani (X or Twitter)
According to the director and artist, the increasingly higher standards to which TV shows are judged have made it an ordeal to work on creating cours. Viewers expect their shows to be of almost cinematic quality, forcing all the workers behind the series to work faster, longer, and without rest. Due to this, the production of anime seasons has become much slower, making it almost impossible for companies to maintain the pace that is expected of them. Although workers have increased their output, only one cour can be done per year, a trend that most fans have noticed.
Shortages Are Also Affecting the Industry
Companies Have Resorted To Hiring Freelancers
Besides talking about the increasingly difficult process of creating an anime season, Kotani also revealed that the industry is currently dealing with a lack of workers. Studios have been piling up work on their staff because they cannot find animators willing to work for them, likely due to them knowing there will be no reward for their hard work in the end. This has caused the biggest companies to begin using social media to hire amateur animators, who have no issues working under industry conditions.
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Lamentably, this has also brought many issues for the teams behind the shows, mainly for those in leading or key roles. The work of novice animators tends to be lower in quality than what audiences expect, forcing animators and directors to redraw and adjust their work after it is finished. By taking the time to correct the mistakes, the team loses even more time, which is a luxury they cannot afford. Conditions for workers in the anime industry seem to keep worsening without signs of stopping soon.
Kotani Shared His Concerns About the Future
Future Generations Might Not Know How To Deliver on Expectations
During the final paragraphs of his post, Kotani revealed his fear for the future of anime, recalling his work with Toei Animation, one of the best studios in the industry. His experience working with the company involved the creation of 4 cours for each anime, done one after the other. This decision helped the quality and the pacing of the series remain consistent, as well as maintain interest among viewers. The recent necessity for more time and workers for each season has disrupted this long-held tradition.
“It’s not just that there aren’t workers available, but given the shortage of animators who do layouts and key animation… nothing can move forward.”
– Kotani (X or Twitter)
Kotani fears that this might have caused novice animators who joined the company to be unable to work on more than two consecutive cours. Due to this, the timeframe and quality that fans are used to will go through major shifts in the future, which could be catastrophic for the industry. Even though the anime industry has seen its profits soar into the billions in recent years, the issues that plague companies and hurt the lives of workers could cause significant problems in the coming months.
