The Nippon Animation Culture Association (NAFCA) recently revealed findings from its first-ever survey on working conditions in the anime industry. Their goal was to confirm whether popular notions about low wages and long working hours in the industry were correct.
Conducted from December 4, 2023 to January 31, 2024, the survey garnered 323 responses from individuals working in various positions within the anime industry.
Of the respondents, 59% (191 individuals) identified as animators, making them the largest group, followed by 44 directors, 35 production-related staff, 27 designers character and mechanical designers, 23 costume and prop designers, 23 voice actors, 20 directors, 15 finishing artists, 14 art, 11 cinematography and CG, and 10 In the sound department, there are only 4 people who are scriptwriters.
The survey results confirmed widespread beliefs about widespread overwork and underpayment in the anime industry.
Anime industry employees: Work long hours
According to NAFCA's survey, the average working hours of anime industry employees is 219 hours, significantly higher than the national average of 162.3 hours. The maximum recorded working hours in the anime industry reached 336 hours, with an average of 225 hours.
Among respondents, 71.4% reported working 8 hours or more per day and 30.4% reported working 10 hours or more per day. Furthermore, 58.8% of respondents reported having only 6 days off per month on average.
Interestingly, even as individuals age, the tendency to work long hours persists, with 69% of respondents in their 50s saying they work eight or more hours a day and 21% work 10 hours or more.
Despite improvements over the past six years, with a significant decline in the rate of animators working overtime, the industry still faces chronic staff shortages.
When broken down by job role, employees in the audio department work exceptionally long hours, with 38% working 12 hours or more per day. Directors followed with 22%, while across all job types, more than 30% said they worked 10 hours or more per day.
However, the survey also highlighted that only directors, designers, CG artists and scriptwriters have relatively comfortable working hours, while other roles have longer working days. significantly.
Gender disparities were evident in the survey, with women tending to work longer hours, although there was little difference in work patterns between men and women in anime production.
Income in the Anime industry: Low income
Regarding compensation, the survey found that 37.7% of respondents earned less than 200,000 yen per month from their anime-related work. Of these, 77.6% do not engage in any work outside of the anime industry, suggesting they rely on an annual income of 2.4 million yen or less.
By job role, compliers and scriptwriters reported significantly low incomes, with more than 60% earning less than 200,000 yen per month. Similarly, 43% of animators and 45% of art directors earn less than 200,000 yen per month.
However, 11% of animators reported annual income exceeding 10 million yen, suggesting significant earning potential if skills are honed. Additionally, about 15% of respondents in the fields of character/mechanical design and prop/costume design reported earning more than 700,000 yen per month or 8.4 million yen per year, providing opportunities Career advancement for animators.
Furthermore, more than 50% of those turning directors reported monthly income exceeding 500,000 yen (6 million yen per year), offering prospects for a stable career in the field. However, compared to the average annual salary of project managers outside the anime industry (8,915 million yen), employees in the anime industry typically receive lower salaries.
The survey highlights the disparity in hourly wages, with finishing and audio-related jobs having the lowest salaries at ₹667 and ₹875 respectively, while directors earn a monthly salary. The highest hourly price is 2,111 yen. Nearly 14% of anime employees earn an hourly wage between 600 and 800 yen.
The average hourly wage in the anime industry is 1,111 yen, barely exceeding the national average of 1,004 yen as of March 2024 and slightly below Tokyo's minimum wage of 1,113 yen.
Despite the differences between roles, the survey highlights unusually low salaries in the anime industry, lending credence to arguments against exploitation.