The conditions of animators in the anime industry is a topic that has long been discussed as the medium has gained traction worldwide. Of all the studios that have gained prominence in Japan and worldwide, Studio BONES is one of the biggest as the production house is responsible for the likes of My Hero Academia, Mob Psycho 100, and Fullmetal Alchemist. Next year, the production house is preparing to introduce another big anime in Gachiakuta along with My Hero Academia’s final season. In a new interview that fans might find quite controversial, BONES co-founder Toshihiro Kawamoto disparaged those who have complained about animators’ work conditions.
In a recent interview with German outlet “Anime Spiegel,” Kawamoto didn’t pull punches on those complaining about work conditions in the anime world, “I know that there is a lot of writing on the Internet about the difficult conditions. In my opinion, those who often complain loudly are those who are not yet good enough. If they improved their skills, they would also have more time for their tasks and would earn more money. But this is really my own personal opinion, independent of Studio BONES.” This makes for quite the departure from the mentality that many other animators and those in the industry have shared in recent years.
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Anime Working Conditions: Do They Pass The Bar?
Toshihiro continues, stating that he believes that industry standards have improved significantly since earlier days in the medium, “When I think about it, I actually think that conditions are much better today than they were in the past. The government has put a lot of regulations in place when it comes to working, overtime and the like. Even if you want to work through the night and draw pictures, you aren’t allowed to do that. Of course, you can see it as a negative thing that such regulations were necessary in the first place. On the other hand, they lead to the necessary changes. Nowadays, anime studios are given a lot more budget and, above all, time. So I think things have gotten better.”
Studio BONES has been in the news a lot as of late, not just thanks to My Hero Academia’s anime on the small and silver screens, but thanks in part to its recent expansion. Earlier this month, the company opened up its own film division dubbed “BONES Film Co. Ltd,” established specifically to aid the production house in creating works for the big screen.
Anime’s Industry Troubles
There have been quite a few stories written in recent years discussing aspects of the anime industry that many believe could be improved. The work conditions, the pay for animators, and the fact that the sheer amount of product being offered doesn’t have enough staff to handle the projects are only a few instances that we’ve reported on. Studio MAPPA with its recent Jujutsu Kaisen season had numerous animators discussing the difficulty in hitting deadlines and the effort that was needed to bring Yuji Itadori and his friends’ battles to life.
Anime is only growing more popular with each passing year, as manga sales and audiences to anime episodes and/or films continue to grow. Hopefully, with the uptick in resources that are being devoted to the medium, more conditions will continue to improve for those who help make our favorite anime adaptations.
Want to follow along with the anime industry as a whole and stay updated on the working conditions of animators? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on the anime medium and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.