Part 3/11:
While the global appetite for anime seems insatiable, the Japanese industry struggles with systemic issues. Industry insiders highlight longstanding problems such as underpaid animators, grueling work hours, and low employment stability. Many studios are unable—or unwilling—to pay competitive wages, prompting some talented animators to seek better opportunities abroad, notably in China, where animation companies are offering higher salaries and investing in local talent and know-how. Reports indicate that Chinese studios are quickly catching up, hiring top-tier animators and securing joint ventures with Japanese companies, threatening Japan’s dominance in the industry.