Originally meant to be a video on Attack on Titan's creator Hajime Isayama, the constant fracturing of the final seasons of Attack on Titan made me spiral deep into a rabbit hole that I couldn't imagine - stretching all the way back to the 1940s and revealing the century old struggle that some of anime's greatest minds known to history (Hayao Miyazaki, Satoshi Kon, Isao Takahata, and others) fought in to attempt to make anime a better place to work.
These people failed, with catastrophic consequences. Miyazaki and Takahata went to go make Studio Ghibli in the fall out. And so, we look back. Why did they fail? How? Is there anything to do about it?
And why in the world does no one affected by the problem actually care?
why?
Cheaper to hire contractors than paying a salary.
how?
Anime is not only a lucrative industry, but also a core identity of Japan. There are enough artists to burn through if some of them quit. There are also foreign studios and artists, though I don’t know how they get incorporated into Japanese production.
Like how game devs or CGI designers in the US are overworked (though usually not to the degree of Japanese workers), many people have this idea that they must sacrifice immensely to pursue this passion. I imagine most artists cannot live on commissions unless they’re very high on demand, so contracting is the only way.
why does no one care?
For the consumer, treats are on their screen. All is good with the world. With the advent of AI, consumers will likely care even less because now their treats will (possibly) be delayed even less because pesky “sleep” and “wages” won’t be factors in production.
For the workers, they do care, but Japanese work culture is hell. They have their own Wikipedia entries for the phenomena of workers dying to overwork or being narcoleptic due to overwork. That should say a lot already. But opposing your superiors is a big taboo. There have been incidents of hazing and even deaths due to said hazing.
And why in the world does no one affected by the problem actually care?
It is frowned upon in Japan to ask for better working conditions, higher salary, and to actually use your paid holidays. Foreigners get away with it, but not Japanese.
Hopefully AI tools can help speed up the work, and allow for better working conditions, but chances are, the AI tools will either not be allowed, or the increased productivity will go directly to company profits.
If you’re Miyazaki you’ll find AI art technology inhuman and fire whoever recommends it lol
Great video. There was stuff here in the specific that I knew only of in the general, like the fight of the Toei Animator's Union. Going to reference this video next time someone asks about animation production committees or why labour conditions in anime are so bad.
