CATDOLL: A famous Japanese animator blogger complains that he can't survive on his salary alone

The Japanese animation industry has always been an important industry in the country. With the vigorous development of Japanese animation, various animations are emerging one after another. The production of animations requires various personnel, and the significance of animators is self-evident. However, we have previously reported that the working conditions and income of Japanese animators are not so satisfactory (the income of Japanese animators is shockingly low!). Recently, another senior animator in the industry, Sachiko Kamimura, complained on her blog: "I can't survive anymore", and also gave some advice to novices and hope for this industry. Let's take a look.

About 20 years ago, it was no longer acceptable to say, "I've drawn 1,000 drawings." More than 30 years ago, anyone could draw 1,000 drawings if they worked a little harder. Animation used to be simple, with fewer lines and rough drawings. As long as it moved, people didn't worry about the details. But that era is finally over. Now if you live on animator's salary, no one can guarantee that you can survive.

Newcomers who are more talented than me, no matter how hard they try, how they save, or even how hard they work, will eventually have to give up this career if they can't save money. There are even some people with very high skills who can directly become animation directors just by relying on their painting skills, and they are also very good at grasping the rhythm of actions. It is said that as long as they accumulate experience, they can achieve success in their careers. However, when faced with life, they are still at a loss. There was a new animator who entered the industry at the same time as me. His level was much higher than mine, but although he didn't want to give up, he eventually left because he couldn't make a living.

The talents that should have supported the future of the industry are slowly being lost. This era is too bad. Although there are companies that can provide living allowances or companies that can pay fixed salaries, and I also hope that newcomers can go to those companies as much as possible. However, everyone has different criteria for choosing a company. Some people don't consider the salary, but just choose a company that produces works they like. In terms of work direction, I have nothing to say.

However, "You have talent and are willing to work hard, but you can't make a living by relying on production income." This is also true. If I were still a newcomer, I would definitely not be able to make a living through production contracts. If someone says "You can't make a living because your skills are too low," then I can only give up. For those who must understand this era and reality, I sincerely hope that you can realize the severity of the problem.