Over the last few decades, the anime industry has seen a massive increase in popularity across the world, with several of its signature franchises becoming world-famous names. With record-high revenue being reported every year, things seem to be going nowhere but forward for this beloved form of entertainment. Even reports about expansion outside of Japan have been released recently.

Nonetheless, despite how cherished anime is around the world, there is no denying that the industry suffers from several issues. To create better working conditions for the artists involved in anime, the Japanese government has put into action a set of laws designed to help workers. Nonetheless, there is still much to be done for the industry to overcome its problems.

Japan Implements Laws to Help Freelance Anime Workers

Almost All the Industry’s Artists Lack a Contract

Although the anime industry has proven to be one of Japan’s best and most successful revenue sources, with new highs being reached constantly, it is also one of its most toxic work environments. For many years, fans of this iconic form of animation have heard about the issues that the artists behind their favorite series must deal with. Animators are forced to work much longer than should be permitted, voice actors underpaid, and a large majority of the workers have no other option than to accept these conditions.

According to a report published by the website Bloomberg, the Japanese government has recently ed laws that will also affect the anime industry in a positive way. The article was accompanied by interviews with artists who have worked on anime-related projects over the last few decades, who confirmed both the issues and the measures being taken. The laws introduced into the Japanese legal system aim to help most of the freelancers in the country by making their working conditions much better.

As revealed by the artists interviewed, almost all workers in the industry lack a formal contract or a union to help them. As such, anime workers have been left to fend for themselves for many decades as the conditions in several studios continued to worsen. Even though the laws have yet to make a significant change to the industry and its practice, the report confirms that changes have been noticed among workers, mainly animators.

Voice Actors Still Struggle Everyday

Their Payment Can Be Withheld for Months

Although the conditions of animators have indeed been improving slowly, the anime industry still has many big real issues left to address before it becomes safe for its workers. Voice actors have struggled for years to receive dignified treatment. One of the interviewees, Yumiko Shibata (Saint Seiya), used to be a beloved voice actress in the past, and she revealed the hard truths about voicing anime characters. Even for her, a well-known name in the industry, making a living from voice acting was almost impossible, even before the conditions worsened.

I was playing heroines, but in real life I wasn’t earning a living...

- Yumiko Shibata.

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Nobunari Neyoshi, who used to work for a voice actor agency, confirmed these allegations and revealed how artists are kept from their payments. During the interview, the man explained that since most voice actors are not working under a contract, companies tend to make them work before a rate or payment agreement is concluded. After their job is done, their remuneration will be withheld for up to six months. The laws implemented will try to prevent these practices by forcing companies to give their workers written contracts before the job begins.

Senior Positions Are Kept Understaffed

​​​​​​​Only a Few Fortunate Workers Can Obtain Decent Working Conditions

One of the last topics addressed by Bloomberg in their report was the lack of senior positions artists in the industry can aspire to obtain. While becoming a key artist or director in an animation studio can guarantee a decent life, these jobs are almost impossible for animators to obtain due to how infrequently they are opened. Voice actors have an even harder time reaching a position in which they can make a living from their work. Most workers end up blaming themselves for their failure and cling to their jobs, hoping they can someday achieve something better.

While the laws being implemented by the Japanese government now do seem to be helping, several of the interviewees expressed their desire for workers to speak up about the issues. Nevertheless, knowing that the anime industry is beginning to implement changes to give its workers a better life seems to be an amazing first step in the right direction.

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Source: Bloomberg