Labor Group: Animators in Their 20s Earn US$11,600 a Year (Updated)
Wow. No wonder the average frame rate in anime productions is so low. If I earned only $11,600 freaking dollars a year, I wouldn't care about the frame rates either.
Just kidding. I know that there are numerous other factors at play in how the final production looks: budget restrictions, very limited time constraints, and probably other factors that I'm unaware of. At that salary, anime is clearly a labor of (very, very) deep love for those who decide to pursue a career in it. Especially when one watches a series or movie that clearly received unusually fastidious care in the animation department- like Kyoto Animation's productions, Kamichu, Seirei no Moribito, and so on. Hopefully this article will make some of the parasite fans (anime "fans" who don't support the series they enjoyed watching via fansubs when said series become available legally) feel some modicum of remorse. But I doubt it.
It is terrible how little they make, and I admire them for persevering in the face of this adversity in order to do something they love.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am with you in wishing that the industry was doing better and that fans were buying much, much more.
But I would like to make one point.
Hopefully this article will make some of the parasite fans (anime "fans" who don't support the series they enjoyed watching via fansubs when said series become available legally) feel some modicum of remorse.That, or it will do the exact opposite and make them glad they're not supporting an industry that thinks it is ever acceptable to treat its workers like this regardless of economic conditions.
This hardly made me want to run out and buy more tomatoes from the areas in question.
That's a good point. I didn't think of that. That tomato article... certainly doesn't make me proud of my home state, but unfortunately, it isn't entirely surprising in light of the social stratification that seems to be a greater problem in south Florida than many other parts of the country I've been to (for example: people here either have to send their kids into the lousy Florida public school system or cough up the cash for private school; or like the article mentioned, criminals often target illegal immigrants because it's more difficult for them to report to the police). It certainly makes me want to purchase more from Whole Foods (especially tomatoes). If only there were a similar alternative for anime... Hopefully, as the issues surrounding animators' wages in Japan gain more attention, their wages will rise. I (and other people, I'm sure) would like to see a report compiled on each individual Japanese animation studio, detailing their specific wages and conditions.
ReplyDeletepeople here either have to send their kids into the lousy Florida public school system or cough up the cash for private school; or like the article mentioned, criminals often target illegal immigrants because it's more difficult for them to report to the policeThat's terrible, too.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly makes me want to purchase more from Whole Foods (especially tomatoes).We only go a couple of times a year now, because the nearest one is so far away (and because it's too tempting to get so many delicious things we don't really need). We do have a little tomato plant in our living room, though. Neither of us is good with plants, but by some miracle, it's still alive. Haha.
Hopefully, as the issues surrounding animators' wages in Japan gain more attention, their wages will rise. I (and other people, I'm sure) would like to see a report compiled on each individual Japanese animation studio, detailing their specific wages and conditions.Agreed.
I'm woefully uninformed on the situation in general; I need to start reading up on it. (Last I heard, studios were having at least some of their animation done outside Japan.)