Recently Chinese companies offer animation projects to Japanese animation companies.
The reason is labor costs.
Average monthly income of Japanese animators is under 160US dollars.
"It’s only one-third of the professional fees of the Chinese animators."
日本のアニメスタジオが、中国企業の下請けになるケースが増えている。
その背景には、日本人アニメーターの給与が安すぎるという現実がある。
日本では月収17万5000円でも業界平均よりずっと高い。
「日本人なら中国人の1/3で済む」
-reference source: PRESIDENT Online (Japan) https://president.jp/articles/-/44767
It’s famous that animator’s salary is so cheap in Japan despite the hard work.
My cousin can draw pictures very well and she loves Japanese animation.
she learned drawing and graphic in the university to become an animator.
However, she didn’t work in any animation companies.
The salary is too cheap so she chose different job.
Role was reversed.
Over ten years ago, Chinese companies are subcontractors of Japanese companies.
Recently, role was reversed.
The editor indicated problems of the Japanese animation industry in this article.
One of problems is the “production committee”.
Some companies such as publishing companies, advertising and TV broadcasting invest money in making animation.
This style is called “production committee.”
Japanese animation industry gets 50% sales from overseas, and sales of animation goods provide huge profit for the company.
The production committee can get these profits.
However, animation companies can’t earn well, because they didn’t invest.
According to this article, Chinese style is different from Japanese one.
Big platformer companies, such as Tencent invest money in making animation.
They invest more money than Japanese companies and
Japanese animation companies negotiate with only big platformer.
Last month, I watched a Chinese animation.
My friend who lives in Philippine recommended 『Dijin Power』.
It’s like a graphic animation game.
It was first time for me to watch a Chinese animation and I was surprised.
The graphics and the drawings are so clean!
The Character design and action of Japanese animation is better.
That’s what I think. (Sorry!)
However Chinese animation has exceeded my expectation.
There are no money and dreams anymore for Japanese animation?
Chinese streaming service company, Bilibili invested in a Japanese production committee to understand the know-how of animation works in Japan.
Then, they have invested on Chinese students who learn animation to polish the animation quality of Chinese companies.
中国の動画配信大手の「Bilibili（ビリビリ）」。
日本のアニメ製作委員会に投資し、日本アニメを作る現場のノウハウを蓄積した。
そして専門学校などでアニメ制作を学ぶ中国人学生の支援を手厚くし、
中国の国産アニメを底上げしている。
-reference source: PRESIDENT Online (Japan) https://president.jp/articles/-/44767
Japanese animation companies can’t do that because they don’t have enough money.
Ufotable made『Demon Slayer』animation and they manage some character’s cafe in Japan.
I heard that the CEO mentioned that it’s their lifeline to get enough profits.
Even top animation companies in Japan are having a hard time earning by just having animation as the main business.
『DRAGON BALL』,『SAILORMOON』,『Doraemon』,『DemonSlayer』etc…
Japanese animation companies produce emotional, entertaining and inspiring animated movies.
However, the work environment is getting worse and worse.
There are no dreams anymore for the Japanese animators.
If it goes on like this, “Japanimation” will change to “Chinanimation”.