It’s no secret that animators and artists continue to struggle to get proper compensation in Japan. There’s a reason everyone calls employees at MAPPA slaves. This has resulted in a bit of a brain drain as talented creatives are swayed by that sweet sweet Chinese money. Ever noticed how many Chinese games have fantastic anime-style art nowadays? That’s no coincidence. On the bright side, creatives have taken one big step toward bringing money into animators’ pockets a few days ago. Recently formed by industry veterans including Masuo Ueda, former producer at Aniplex, the Nippon Anime & Film Culture Association aims to tackle this issue. Alongside him stand some voice actors, animators, and character designers. Their goals encompass bringing better working conditions to all positions and aspects of the anime industry.
It’s crazy how many different roles are needed to make a fantastic anime. Of course you need animators, but where’s your soundtrack coming from my guy? Oh, and don’t forget the sound effects themselves. And the voice actors. And the editors. And the writers. Perhaps a producer or two. Someone to direct it all. Someone to handle licensing. Someone to promote and market the franchise. Someone to actually distribute said franchise that has been marketed. Once you peel back that curtain you realize there’s a ton of moving parts to something that originally seemed simple. That means that at every step of the way, there’s a chance that someone can get cucked out of fair conditions, fair compensation, or both. We’ve been talking about this song and dance for years now on the site, and I hope this organization can actually bring about some meaningful impact to the industry. They plan to conduct research on the industry, develop educational programs to inform workers of their rights, provide support for those working in poor conditions, and advocate for legal changes to address the situation. Hopefully at least some of that comes to fruition and pays off.
Come on boys, I'm rooting for you.
Only time will tell whether these guys can muster up some real change, but I always have a bit more hope in my heart when I see a bunch of industry veterans coming together. I’m not saying every animator needs to be able to afford a private jet, but the MAPPA slaves who work on Jujutsu Kaisen probably need some fine dining every now and then. The fight choreography alone justifies a little extra compensation in my book. What are your thoughts on the founding of NAFCA? Will the organization be a big help, or wither away without accomplishing much? Band together, whip out the protest signs, and watch as the rich get richer anyway in the comments below!
