News
Japan's Animator Labor Group Legally Incorporates
posted on by Egan Loo
The Japan Animation Creators Association (JAniCA) have set itself up as an unlimited liability intermediary corporation this week to continue its efforts in improving work conditions in the Japanese animation industry. JAniCA was established last October to address the long working hours and low wages of many animators and directors. Becoming a legal corporation was necessary to hold negotiations with the national government and related entities, as well as to receive financial support. Eventually, JAniCA plans to become a general corporation.
Studio Live's Toyoo Ashida (the director of Vampire Hunter D and the first movie and second television series of Fist of the North Star) heads this group which includes 447 members (as of the end of April). Ashida, Paprika director Satoshi Kon, and Eureka Seven director Tomoki Kyoda are part of the 15-member steering committee.
90% of the animators and directors are freelancers, and those who have trouble making ends meet are expected to face increasing hardships as they grow older. In particular, there are veteran creators in their 40s and 50s who are getting by on 3 million yen (about US$30,000) a year. JAniCA plans to survey the current living conditions of animators for a database in this field of study, and to push initiatives to raise the quality of anime as well.
Source: Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web
