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Guinness World Records Certifies Animate Ikebukuro as Largest Anime Store
The Guinness World Record is quite possibly the preeminent organization to catalogue achievements big and small. These include what some would consider serious records such as sports records at the Olympics to the sillier records like tallest house of cards. And people around the world are looking for new and interesting ways to break or create new Guinness World Records. One such business is Jap...
Kodansha Offers Weekly & Bessatsu Magazine Issues for Free After January 1 Quake
Kodansha offers issues in order to ensure fans can read their favorite manga
― On the evening of January 1, the Noto Peninsula on the Japan Sea side of Japan was struck by a 7.6 magnitude earthquake. Although a month has passed, relief efforts and donations are still pouring in to help those who have been affected by the quake. However, not all the relief is on-site or monetary. Distribution of manga...
Crunchyroll Launches New The Anime Effect Podcast on February 16
Nicholas Friedman, LeAlec Murray, Leah President host new show on Fridays
― Good news for anyone looking for anime discussions to listen to — Crunchyroll announced on Tuesday that it and Sony Music Entertainment are launching a new podcast titled Crunchyroll Presents: The Anime Effect, starting on February 16. New episodes will stream worldwide in English every Friday. Here's a trailer: Hosting the n...
Bandai Namco Joins Forces with 13 Partners to Make Gundam Tech a Reality
The Universal Century from Mobile Suit Gundam may not be that far off
― In June 2021, Bandai Namco Group announced their sustainability project called "Gundam Universal Century Development Action." Initially a project to address population and environmental issues, it has now begun researching technologies in the Gundam franchise with four different teams. ╭━━━━━━━━╮公認プロジェクト決定╰━ｖ━━━━━━╯#GOI 公認プロジェクトが...
Ikebukuro on the Rise, Akiba on the Decline with Otaku's Next Generation
Akihabara: the home of otaku from all around the world. But a recent article points to a new contender for the throne.
― Akihabara: the home of otaku from all around the world. But a recent article points to a new contender for the throne. For more than 20 years, Akihabara has claimed the title of “Home of Otaku.” It's no wonder why, since the town is inundated with anime, manga, idol, and other sub-...
Sanrio Deals with Fallout Over Hello Kitty's Voice Change, Removal of Videos
All previous videos on character's YouTube channel removed; Megumi Hayashibara steps down as voice
― Sanrio's iconic mascot character Hello Kitty welcomed her 49th anniversary on November 1, with Sanrio opening new accounts for the character on TikTok, Roblox, and Zepeto in anticipation of her 50th anniversary next year. But not all went well for the anniversary, as Sanrio deleted all videos on the c...
Bushiroad Works Reveals How Much Authors Make per Page on New Web Publication Comic Growl
How much money can a manga author expect to make for a manuscript? Comic Growl (formerly Comic Bushiroad Web) from Bushiroad gives us a small insight into their pay scale.
― How much money can a manga author expect to make for a manuscript? Comic Growl (formerly Comic Bushiroad Web) from Bushiroad gives us a small insight into their pay scale. In a move to revamp its online manga magazine, Bushiroad ...
Studio Ghibli Shuts Down Official Twitter Account
Account opened in December 2020 for The Boy and the Heron film
― Studio Ghibli announced on Thursday that it is shutting down its official Twitter account on Friday at 12:00 a.m. JST (11:00 a.m. EDT). In fact, by the time you read this, the account may already be gone. The account did not give a reason for its closure, nor did it imply that a new account would take its place. However, the announcemen...
Gundam Metaverse Project Temporarily Halts Client Downloads (Updated)
Client file reportedly includes unsecured 3D data of Gundam plastic models
― A glitch in the system? Bandai Namco Entertainment announced on Wednesday that it has temporarily suspended client file downloads for its Gundam Metaverse project. The company did not provide more details beyond stating that it will reveal on its website when downloads will resume. This suspension follows online reports that...
Yuri on Ice!!! Made Its Studio Very Little Money, According to MAPPA's CEO
“Our production, Yuri on Ice, was a huge hit. But compared to that success, the money that came into the studio was very little.”
― 2016's Yuri on Ice was released to worldwide acclaim and won numerous awards both inside and outside of Japan. However, that success doesn't appear to have trickled down to the studio that created it. In a recent interview done by Japanese online music magazine KOMPASS,...
Voice Actor Claims Crunchyroll Blocked Auditions to Reprise Tower of God Role in Video Game
Laura Post spoke out about perceived contract inequalities and wrote that Crunchyroll told the videogame developer they could not legally use the cast in the game in any capacity.
― Voice actor Laura Post spoke out about perceived inequalities in Crunchyroll's contracts for voice work. In a Twitter thread posted on June 2, Post wrote that a new Tower of God mobile game will not feature reprisals fro...
Somari and the Guardian of the Forest's Creator Still Struggling Financially, Has Regrets Over Anime Adaptation
Manga ended in 2020 due to Yako Gureishi's worsening health
― Manga creator Yako Gureishi tweeted last Tuesday about their Somari and the Guardian of the Forest manga status and their personal life. The most notable takeaway is that they are currently asking fans for financial support in order to help cover the cost of their rent and utility bills. Gureishi asked for contributions to their pixiv Fanb...
Agency for Cultural Affairs Website Accidentally Lists Manga Pirate Site URLs For 6+ Months
Government website hastily took down list on May 16 after social media exposure
― Last Tuesday, social media exposed a rather embarrassing mistake by the Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs. The Sankei News reported that the agency's website, which has long been dedicated to cracking down on piracy, had accidentally made public the URLs of the top 10 most accessed manga pirate websites ...
MAPPA CEO Reflects on Financial Performance of Chainsaw Man
Manabu Otsuka says the anime returned its entire investment, although he wishes for better BD/DVD sales
― One of the most notable aspects of the Chainsaw Man anime was that the production studio MAPPA invested the entirety of the production costs. This is a rarity among anime productions, as most titles are funded by a collection of companies known as the production committee. So how well did Chainsa...
UPDATED: Gundam Franchise Grosses Record High 131 Billion Yen in 2023 Fiscal Year
Gundam: The Witch From Mercury cited for acquiring new fans among young people, women
― Here's the proof you need that Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury was a good idea for revitalizing the Gundam franchise. Bandai Namco Holdings announced its 2023 Fiscal Year (FY) sales results on Wednesday, revealing record-breaking revenue for the Gundam IP. Group-wide sales amounted to 131.3 billion yen ...
Veteran Producer Masao Maruyama Warns of Anime's Creative Decline
"The only reason China hasn't quite caught up with Japan yet is because of a bunch of restrictions imposed on free expression there."
― Veteran anime producer Masao Maruyama had some pessimistic comments about the anime industry in an interview with AFP last week. The 81-year-old warned that Japan's animation will lose out to China because of commercialism stifling creativity. "In Japan, people are n...
CODA: Anime, Manga Piracy Cost Industry Around 2 Trillion Yen in 2021
Figure marks five-fold increase from association's previous 2019 study
― Japan's Content Overseas Distribution Association (CODA) released a study last Friday citing losses of between 1.9 and 2.2 trillion yen (US$14.2 to 16.5 billion) in 2021 due to piracy of Japanese entertainment, including manga, anime, music, and video games. The figure marks a five-fold increase from the association's previous 2...
Bandai's Plastic Model Factory Installs Solar Panels, Reduces Annual CO2 Emissions by 130 Tons
Bandai Namco Group aims to attain 35% reduction of carbon emissions by 2030, net zero emissions by 2050
― The Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan-Web reported on Wednesday that the Bandai Hobby Center, Bandai Spirits' plastic model production factory in Shizuoka City, has installed 400 solar panels on its rooftops. The panels will produce around 260,000 kilowatts of energy annually, reducing the factory's CO2 ...
WIRED: Good Smile Company Invested US$2.4 Million in 4chan
Nendoroid, Figma toy company acquired 30% share in the controversial website in 2015
― Tech news outlet WIRED reported last Wednesday that Good Smile Company invested US$2.4 million in the controversial website 4chan in 2015, acquiring a 30% share in the website's finances. The Nendoroid and Figma toy company's investment was part of the 2015 sale of 4chan to 2channel founder Hiroyuki Nishimura. WIRE...
Local Manga Localization Company No Longer Plans to Settle Late Freelancer Payments
Former company owner previously told ANN that he plans to settle all late payments by March 31
― After months of debt struggles, localization company Local Manga no longer intends to settle late payments to freelancers. The company's former owner Christopher Hepburn announced in a company-wide Discord message on March 11 that he will no "longer be able to satisfy any alleged outstanding debts that re...
The Most Beloved Manga Characters of 2022, According to Magademy Industry Award
Blue Giant Explorer, Medalist, Tokyo Revengers, Detective Conan, Gachiakuta, Chiikawa characters acknowledged
― BookLive's Magademy Award for honoring manga characters announced its results on Wednesday. The winners are as follows (note: "actor" here refers to the fictional character): Best lead male actor: Dai Miyamoto from Shinichi Ishizuka's Blue Giant Explorer
Best lead female actor: Inori Yuitsu...
Pokémon Company Opens Job Listing Requiring Blockchain, NFT Knowledge
Square Enix plans blockchain games for fiscal year 2024
― Siliconera reported on Tuesday that The Pokémon Company International opened a job listing for a Corporate Development Principal. One of the requirements is "deep knowledge and understanding of Web 3, including blockchain technologies and NFT, and/or metaverse." Although the job description does not make reference to Web3, the role "drives inn...
Animator Supporters Project Posts Toshio Okada's Criticisms of Production Committee System with English Subtitles
Okada claims production committees caps the budget on individual anime titles
― On Monday, the Animator Supporters non-profit organization began streaming an English-subtitled clip from former Gainax president Toshio Okada's YouTube channel. The clip details Okada's criticisms of the anime production committee system. Okada claimed that animators are so poor even though the industry attracts more mon...
Kadokawa to Open Manga, Anime/Voice Actor Acadamies in April 2024
Two new schools, the Kadokawa Manga Academy and the Kadokawa Anime and Voice Acting Academy, are slated to open in Tokyo and Osaka in April 2024. The two schools are led by Vantan, an establishment under the Kadokawa Group that develops educational institutions for the creative industries. For students aged 18 and above, the Kadokawa Manga Academy will offer three-year and four-year specialization...
Voice Actor Advocacy Group Streams Animated Videos Explaining Japan's Controversial Invoice System
Freelancers, sole proprietors will lose their tax-exempt status after system goes into effect in October
― The voice actor advocacy group Voiction has opposed Japan's controversial new invoice system ever since it was announced. According to surveys it conducted from September to October last year, 76% of voice actors self-reported an income of less than 3 million yen (about US$21,638), and 27% respo...
Thorfinn Dub Voice Actor Mike Haimoto Accused of Domestic Abuse, Sexual Assault
Avery Smithhart (Made in Abyss: Dawn of the Deep Soul's Prushka, Land of the Lustrous' Cinnabar) claims that he isolated her, made up extravagant stories about his past, and in one instance sexually assaulted her after a party.
― English dub voice actor Mike Haimoto (Vinland Saga, Natsume's Book of Friends, Vermeil in Gold) was accused of domestic abuse and sexual assault by his former girlfriend Ave...
Variety Report: Chainsaw Man, Bleach Among 2022's Most Pirated Series in the U.S.
Anime titles make up 50% of the most pirated series in the U.S. last year
― A special report by Variety Intelligence Platform and piracy research firm Muso revealed that Chainsaw Man and Bleach are among 2022's most pirated series in the U.S., with Chainsaw Man taking 2nd place and Bleach ranking 6th. In fact, anime titles make up 50% of the most pirated series in the U.S. last year. The top 10 most ...
Belarus Legalizes Piracy of Audiovisual Media, Computer Software From Japan
Government will allow access without the consent of copyright holders from "unfriendly" nations until December 2024
― The government of Belarus passed a law on January 3 permitting residents to access audiovisual media and computer software without the consent of copyright holders from "unfriendly" nations, of which Japan is a part of. The new law will be in effect until December 2024. Going forward,...
Animator Dormitory Project Launches 2023 Crowdfunding Campaign
Campaign has a US$30,000 goal, which would house 10 new animators
― The Animator Supporters non-profit organization launched its 2023 crowdfunding campaign for the Animator Dormitory project on Saturday. The campaign has a US$30,000 goal, which would house 10 new animators. The organization is also planning to hire animators for music video projects with a fixed salary rather than by piece rate. The ...
More Actors Tie the Knot on New Year's Day
Ryota Katayose & Tao Tsuchiya, Gou Ayano & Yui Sakuma announce marriages
― The new year brought in a wave of Japanese celebrity marriage announcements, including singer Aimer's marriage to musician Masahiro Tobinai, Smile Down the Runway manga creator Kotoba Inoya's marriage to voice actress Ayaka Suwa, and voice actor's Nobunaga Shimazaki marriage to an anonymous partner. The New Year's Day marriage...
Japanese Art Commission Platform Skeb Bans AI Art
Includes works which are only partially created with AI software
― The Japanese art commission platform Skeb announced on its Twitter account last Friday that it is banning AI art submitted to the "illustration" category, including works which are only partially created with AI software. The staff is personally screening submissions to detect signs of AI use and gathering opinions from creators about...
Local Manga Localization Company Struggles to Settle Debts By December 31 Deadline
Former company owner told ANN that he now plans to settle all late payments to freelancers by March 31
― Localization company Local Manga is reportedly struggling to issue months' worth of late payments to freelancers after announcing that all debts would be “satisfied in full” by December 31. Local Manga's representative Christopher Hepburn announced on Twitter on November 3 that he is relinquishing...
Ken Akamatsu Says Japan's Controversial Invoice System Can't Be Stopped
The manga creator turned legislator is now focusing his efforts on revising the law after it goes into effect next October
― Although manga artist turned legislator Ken Akamatsu campaigned on a platform of staunch opposition to Japan's controversial new invoice system, his most recent comments about the issue are more measured. Last Friday, he wrote on Twitter that "the hurdle is high" for changing t...
Manga Industry Survey: Over 20% of Artists Fear Bankruptcy Due to Japan's New Invoice System
From October 2023, invoices will be subject to consumption tax
― Last Tuesday, representatives from four entertainment industry lobby groups held a press conference to express their opposition to Japan's controversial new invoice system. Manga artist Reon Yutaka revealed worrying statistics based on a manga industry survey: 98% of respondents were sole proprietors, and among them 20.6％ reported that ...
Production I.G., WIT Studio Producers Are Very Happy About Overseas Collabs
In the producers' own words, many overseas animators and business partners possess "passionate otaku hearts"
― Production I.G. producer Hiroshi Ito and WIT Studio producer Tetsuya Nakatake gave some insight into the current state of overseas collaborations at TIFFCOM's "Global Strategies of Japanese Animation Studios -Our Positive Global Strategies-" seminar. Overall, they welcome overseas partnershi...
How Tencent Sees the Future of Anime & Games
Hint: It involves live service games
― With Tencent stepping up its involvement in Japanese anime and games, how does the Chinese digital media company perceive the future of these mediums? Juno Shin, vice general manager at Tencent Games, offered some insight at TIFFCOM's "The potential of Games x Anime as perceived by Tencent Games" seminar on Tuesday. First, he commented that, due to COVID, there'...
Japanese Art, Content Sites Tighten Policies Around AI-Generated Art
Conversations around the ethics of AI art heighten as AI art goes viral online
― Last week, AI-generated drawings of anime characters eating ramen went viral in Japan. The amusing thing about the trend was seeing AI come up with technically impressive art that nevertheless gets strange details wrong, like characters eating ramen with their hands. The meme inspired human artists to draw parodies and c...
Manga Artists, VTubers Fear Japan's New Invoice System Invites Loss of Privacy
People who use pennames will have to reveal their real names to public database in order to file verified invoices
― Japan will implement a new system for filing invoices in October 2023, but it is unpopular among members of the creative industries who use pseudonyms. Under the new proposed system, invoices can only be considered "verified" if individuals file them using their real names, and the nam...
Uncle From Another World Insider Paints Gloomy Picture of Anime's Production Schedule
Animator Ippei Ichii said he pulled out of directing anime's 10th episode because no staff were available
― Animator Ippei Ichii shared a startling picture of the difficult production circumstances on the television anime Uncle From Another World (Isekai Ojisan). According to Ichii, he was planning to direct the anime's 10th episode but pulled out of the production because "there was no animation sta...
Agency for Cultural Affairs Opens Free Consultations About Issuing Copyright Takedowns
Japan's government aims to strengthen support for individual creators who may otherwise lack the resources or expertise to issue copyright takedowns
― The Japanese government's Agency for Cultural Affairs opened a free online consultation service on Tuesday for creators seeking to combat internet piracy. Individuals can apply for consultation via the copyright information portal website; experts spec...
Industry Mourns the Loss of Yu-Gi-Oh Manga Creator Kazuki Takahashi
Fans and industry members are responding to the recent death of Yu-Gi-Oh manga creator Kazuki Takahashi. The 60-year-old artist was found deceased by the Japan Coast Guard off the coast of Nago city in Okinawa on July 6 reportedly wearing snorkeling gear. The Coast Guard told NHK that Takahashi was visiting the area alone. The news quickly spread across social media and news outlets, including The...
That Time Dark Horse Almost Licensed Attack on Titan & Rose of Versailles
Michael Gombos shares "embarrassing (manga) licensing stories" at AX panel
― Michael Gombos, senior director of licensed publications at Dark Horse Comics, shared some "embarrassing (manga) licensing stories" at Dark Horse's panel at Anime Expo on Sunday. Among them are stories of major licenses that never came to be at the publisher: Attack on Titan and Rose of Versailles. Dark Horse passed on Kodan...
Sammy Establishes NFT Service Company with Kadokawa, Good Smile, USP
Sammy holds 68% of capital; Kadokawa, Good Smile, USP hold 10% each
― Entertainment company Sammy Corporation announced on Monday that it is establishing the "O-DEN" NFT (non-fungible token) service with joint investments from Kadokawa, Good Smile Company, and Ultra Super Pictures (USP). Sammy will hold 68% of the 250 million yen (approximately US$1.8 million) capital, while Kadokawa, Good Smile Comp...
New Mononoke Anime Film Producer Addresses Why Original Character Designer Did Not Return
Yamamoto explained that Takashi Hashimoto stepped down the project last July due to physical, mental health issues
― Last week, the Mononoke anime franchise announced that it is getting a new film in 2023. Kenji Nakamura will return to direct the film, with production at Twin Engine. Takahiro Sakurai will return to voice the Medicine Seller. Missing from the announcement, however, was Takashi Hashimo...
22/7 Management Releases Statement About Stalking
Management will inform police, restrict access to events if stalking issues continue
― The official website for the 22/7 idol project issued a statement regarding recent stalking problems affecting the group's members. The management stated that certain fans have been engaging in stalking behavior against members and infringing their privacy. It elaborated that the staff and members do not wish to im...
Crunchyroll: Shojo Anime Genre Has Strong Growth Potential
Titles aimed at female audiences over-perform due to unmet demand from low supply
― Crunchyroll held a business seminar on Tuesday aimed at Japanese businesses. Part of the presentation centered on explaining current consumer trends in the west based on the service's viewership numbers. Chief Customer Officer Asa Suehira explained that while shonen battle anime and "isekai" fantasy series continue to...
How Disney+ Is Promoting Itself To Japanese Anime Companies
"We deeply respect the works of Japanese creators, and we will transmit them overseas just the way they are," says Head of Animation
― Disney held a business seminar at AnimeJapan on Monday aimed at Japanese businesses. This was an interesting opportunity to gain some insight on how the media company is approaching the Japanese market. Gaku Narita (Executive Director, Original Content) introduced the...
Anime Industry Report Editor: 2021 Was a Year of Recovery
Hiromichi Masuda pointed to several areas of the market which have experienced notable rebound since 2020
― Anime Industry Report editorial supervisor Hiromichi Masuda held a presentation at AnimeJapan on Monday to describe current animation business trends. The seminar drew on information from the Association of Japanese Animations (AJA)'s Anime Industry Report 2021, but also briefly touched on how ...
You Wouldn't Download Sgt. Frog, Would You?
Mine Yoshizaki's Sgt. Frog characters appeared in a 15-second ad to remind kids not to download movies. The ad, titled "STOP! Piracy Edition' Keroro Gunso x 'NO MORE Movie Thief,'" sees Keroro and his fellow aliens quickly captured when they attempt to pirate media on various devices. The characters appeared in a similar, longer video ad in December. The property has worked with anti-piracy effort...
Square Enix, Bandai Namco Ent. Donate to Ukraine
Square Enix donates US$500,000 to UNHCR; Bandai Namco gives 100 million yen to Save the Children
― Square Enix and Bandai Namco Entertainment announced donations this week for humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Square Enix will donate US$500,000 to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), while Bandai Namco Entertainment will donate 100 million yen (approximately US$845,000) to the Save the C...
Man Withdraws Allegations Against Evangelion Voice Actor Daman Mills
Man previously asserted that between 2014 and 2015, Mills groped, masturbated next to him
― Update: 3/17/22 - Duncan has told ANN that the allegations he made against Daman Mills were fabricated. The original article begins below. The Ohio man that previously accused Evangelion film and Sonny Boy voice actor Daman Mills of groping him and masturbating next to him while he was asleep when he was a tee...
Boruto Twitter Account Warns Of Unlicensed NFTs
"No license has been issued to authorize such products. Please watch out for false information."
― The official Boruto anime Twitter account posted notices in Japanese, Chinese, and English on Friday warning of unlicensed NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) using the Naruto/Boruto franchise names. The English tweet states: "We have been receiving inquiries regarding the authenticity of the information that sp...
Megumi Ogata Comments on Seiyū Awards Win: Voice Acting World Needs To Be More "Gender-free"
Veteran voice actor of Shinji Ikari questioned the need for separating award categories by gender
― On Saturday, voice actress Megumi Ogata won the "Best Lead Actress Award" for the 16th Annual Seiyū Awards. The award is given to the best leading performances from an actress during the year. In her acceptance speech, Ogata called for the voice acting world to become more "gender-free," saying that th...
Voice Actor, ADR Director Daman Mills Accused of Sexual Misconduct
Man alleges Mills groped him, masturbated next to him in his sleep
― Update: 2022-03-17: Duncan has told ANN that the allegations he made against Daman Mills were fabricated. Update: 2022-03-14: The alleged victim has retracted his accusations and issued the following statement to Anime News Network: At this time, I wish to permanently retract my statements and allegations regarding Daman Mills.
I wi...
BL Manga Café Closes Due to Safety Concerns Around Male Non-Customers
According to closure notice, the women-only café received a large number of male visitors at night with unknown intent
― The BL manga café Libre Sendai confirmed on Monday that the establishment has ceased operations as of February 28. The notice also offered a reason for the closure: although the café's clientele was women-only, it would receive a large number of male visitors at night with unknown ...
Japan Cartoonists Association Issues Statement on Russia's Invasion of Ukraine
Association wishes for swift end to the armed conflict, affirms manga's anti-war roots
― The Japan Cartoonists Association issued a formal statement on its website regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine, stating that it wishes for a swift end to the armed conflict. The Association affirmed its anti-war stance, explaining that the rise of Japanese manga took place after the end of World War II, and th...
Interview With Attack on Titan The Final Season Director, CG Producer Streamed
Yuichiro Hayashi & Yusuke Tannawa discuss production challenges, notable scenes, manga creator Hajime Isayama's involvement
― Pony Canyon streamed an English-subtitled interview with Attack on Titan The Final Season director Yuichiro Hayashi and CG producer Yusuke Tannawa on Sunday. The two discussed the production situation and challenges, as well as notable scenes from the anime and the involvement...
Bushiroad Announces Win in First Civil Suit for Defamation
Company pursuing individuals for online harassment of talent, voice actors
― Last year, entertainment company Bushiroad announced that the company was exploring legal options for dealing with online slander, including working with law enforcement. The company announced an update to those legal proceedings on Tuesday, including its first civil suit. Bushiroad stated that because the statements are car...
Attack on Titan The Final Season Episode Director Goes Home 'For the First Time in 3 Days'
MAPPA has previously faced criticism from animators for "factory-like" conditions
― In two (now deleted) tweets posted last week, Attack on Titan the Final Season episode director and animator Teruyuki Omine shared that he was finally able to return to his home for the first time in three days. MAPPA's work culture has faced criticism in the past when an animator described the studio's working condit...
Former Sunrise Producer Shares Recollections of Studio's Shuffling
Masuo Ueda: "I suppose the countdown to my departure from Sunrise began with that meeting [in 1993]."
― Anime producer Masuo Ueda, who formerly worked as a managing director at Sunrise (soon to be consolidated into Bandai Namco Filmworks Inc.), shared his recollections of the studio in a Twitter thread on Monday. He reflected on a meeting he had with the president, the managing director, and the exec...
Anime Director Shinji Takamatsu Discusses Sunrise Shuffling
"The disappearance of Sunrise seems to have finally come."
― RobiHachi and Cute High Earth Defense Club anime franchise director Shinji Takamatsu discussed the recent reorganizing of Bandai Namco Holdings Inc's IP Production Unit, including the animation studio Sunrise, in a series of tweets on Wednesday. Takamatsu reminisced about his time with studio dating back to 1983, just four years after the s...
Japanese Cabinet Meeting Discusses Anime Industry Wages
Cabinet acknowledges low wages for young people, but JAniCA rep says much more work needs to be done
― The low wages for animation industry workers in Japan is an internationally recognized problem. The subject was brought up in a Cabinet meeting in Japan on Friday, when assembly member Hiroyuki Moriyama asked the following question: "I have heard that wages for animators in China are an order of mag...
Monica Rial, Jamie Marchi Launch Podcast About Vic Mignogna Defamation Case
Voice actresses Monica Rial and Jamie Marchi released the first episode of the "In Touch" podcast focusing on the 2019 defamation case filed by fellow voice actor Vic Mignogna. The podcast, which aims to be updated monthly, retells the events from March and Rial's perspective. The first episode lays out the timeline of events, from Funimation contacting Mignogna about its investigation into allega...
Mamoru Hosoda, Mitsuo Iso, Toshiyuki Inoue To Appear In Hand-Drawn: Documentary Film
Felicity Morland's documentary is currently in post-production with planned 2022 release
― Japanese animation legends Mamoru Hosoda (BELLE, Summer Wars, The Girl Who Leapt Through Time), Mitsuo Iso (Dennō Coil, The Orbital Children), and Toshiyuki Inoue (key animator on Akira, Kiki's Delivery Service, Maquia - When the Promised Flower Blooms) will be interviewed in Felicity Morland's Hand-Drawn: Docu...
High Guardian Spice, Onyx Equinox Creators Discuss the Shows' Low Budgets
Both Crunchyroll Original shows were significantly low budget by U.S. animation standards
― In 2018, shortly after Crunchyroll announced High Guardian Spice as the first "Crunchyroll Originals" animated project, head of Crunchyroll Studios Margaret Dean told Digiday that the lineup was "entirely funded by Ellation with budgets in the same range as what anime shows typically cost." Years later, High G...
Trade Group: Manga Pirate Sites Cost Industry 1.19 Trillion Yen in 2021
Authorized Books of Japan (ABJ) says manga piracy has soared in popularity since the start of the pandemic
― Sankei News reported on Saturday that according to the Authorized Books of Japan (ABJ), a Tokyo-based association working to crack down on pirated manga, manga piracy cost the industry a total of 1.19 trillion yen (approximately US$8.76 billion) in 2021. This represents a sharp increase of 4.8...
Manga Plus Editor Explains Why Shonen Jump+ Handles Overseas Distribution In-House
Manga Plus data is used for determining which titles get anime adaptations
― Shueisha editor Yūta Momiyama, who manages Weekly Shonen Jump's Shonen Jump+ and MANGA Plus online services, wrote a blog post to explain why the Shonen Jump+ editorial department manages overseas distribution through MANGA Plus in-house. First, he explained that it is typical for publishers to sell the overseas publishing r...
Veteran Producer Explains the Problems of Unionizing In the Anime Industry
Masuo Ueda points to historical factors, wage dumping as reasons for lack of unions today
― In a two-part online salon, anime producer Masuo Ueda tackled the topic of animator unions in the anime industry—or, to be precise, the lack thereof. Speaking with JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable and Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya character designer Terumi Nishii on her YouTube channel, Ue...
Manga Localization Company Amimaru Allegedly Trials Machine Translation For Commercial Manga Releases
Kodansha Comics denies investing in machine translation as a client
― An anonymous translator has told ANN that the manga translation and lettering company Amimaru has been trialing edited machine translations for commercial manga releases, calling it an "an excuse to pay translators less than they already do and mechanize the art of translation." "I'm disgusted by this move as an attempt to destroy ...
Yoshiyuki Tomino: "Japan Is No Longer a Leader in Animation"
Gundam creator points to unwillingness to innovate, Chinese competition as factors that threaten Japan's anime dominance
― The Hokkaido-based news website Real Economy reported on Monday that Gundam creator Yoshiyuki Tomino spoke at the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art for the "World of Yoshiyuki Tomino" exhibit, which will run in Sapporo from October 17 to January 23. There, he spoke highly of the Hokk...
MaiOtaku Dating Site Allegedly Imports AniMinneapolis, Meta Con Attendee Profile Information Without User Consent
Convention runner Ryan Kopf denies information is shared outside scope of privacy policy, claims sites use Single Sign-On system
― A user in the "Minnesota Cosplayers" Facebook group alleged on October 30 that users who signed up for the AnimeCon.org conventions AniMinneapolis and Meta Con conventions are also automatically signed up to the MaiOtaku dating site without their consent. The imported inf...
Japanese Communist Party Claims No Contradiction In Opposing Regulation of Anime, Manga
Party still hopes creative trends will move away from sexualizing children
― On October 6, the Japanese Communist Party (JCP) became a subject of debate when it updated its policy page addressing its stance on regulating Japanese anime and manga ahead of the next general election. The page stated that while the JCP opposes the categorization of manga, anime, and games as "fictional child pornography"...
CEO of Japanese Art Commission Platform Skeb Warns of Misinformation Around NFTs
Kazunari Kida expressed concern that artists may be misunderstanding NFTs as a form of art ownership
― The NFT (Non-Fungible Token) boom has been picking up steam in the anime and manga industries in recent months, but the practice of attaching art to NFTs has also attracted concern in art communities around potential scams, money laundering, and their environmental impact. Kazunari Kida, CEO of the ...
Sunrise Moves to New Head Office Named After Gundam's White Base
New office in Tokyo's Suginami Ward will gather 4 affiliated companies under the same building starting from October 25
― Animation studio Sunrise announced on its website on Monday that it has relocated to a new head office in Tokyo's Suginami Ward. The office's name is "White Base," a reference to the iconic spaceship in the Mobile Suit Gundam anime. Sunrise hopes to "bring together each and every ...
German Fans Are Disappointed That Tokyopop's New Light Novels Are Translated From English, Not Japanese (Updated)
Tokyopop Germany General Manager Susanne Hellweg revealed in an interview with the Manga Passion German news website on October 9 that the publisher's recent light novel lineup, which includes The Rising of the Shield Hero, Konosuba - God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!, and Overlord, is translated from English instead of Japanese. The move represents a departure from Tokyopop's previous strat...
TMS Entertainment's 1st Female Producer Explains How the Anime Industry Can Improve For Women
Megalobox producer Minako Fujiyoshi talks about industry conditions and the female character writing in the Megalobox anime
― TMS Entertainment producer Minako Fujiyoshi spoke at an online panel on Thursday hosted by the Femme International Film Festival, which exists to highlight the work of women producers, writers, and directors from around the world. Fujiyoshi is TMS Entertainment's first female ...
Manga Plus Editor Says the Service Is Growing Fast, But Translation Costs Are High
Yūta Momiyama predicts even split in 10 years between Japanese, overseas manga readership as machine translation technology improves
― Shueisha editor Yūta Momiyama, who manages Weekly Shonen Jump's Shonen Jump+ and Manga Plus online services, highlighted the current state of the Manga Plus service in an interview with ITMedia earlier this month. He explained that the service currently has 5 million ...
Shueisha Producer Warns Against Leaks
According to Takamitsu Sueyoshi, leaks weaken the momentum around an official announcement, making it more difficult to create subsequent adaptations
― Shueisha producer and rights agent Takamitsu Sueyoshi wrote a Twitter thread on August 20 explaining the harm of leaks from a business perspective. He explained that leaks weaken the momentum around an official announcement, making it difficult for th...
Parrot Analytics: Global Anime Consumption Has Nearly Doubled Since 2017
According to Parrot Analytics, global anime consumption has nearly doubled since 2017 and the existing anime output is not keeping up with the demand.
― Alejandro Rojas, director of applied analytics at the market research firm Parrot Analytics, said in an interview with Variety that global consumption of anime has "nearly doubled since 2017." The data, as reported on by Variety, also indicates that ...
Government Investigation Finds 37% of Businesses in Japan Are Guilty of Illegal Overtime Work
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare warns that overwork may increase as businesses attempt to recover from COVID economic downturn
― An investigation by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare conducted in the last fiscal year among 24,042 businesses in Japan found cases of illegal overtime work at 37% of businesses. Of the locations where overwork was confirmed, 33.5%, or 2,982 locations, were...
Director Takashi Watanabe: At Least One Studio Lockdown Due to COVID Outbreak
Watanabe stated that there was an "implicit gag order" but he had heard about the studio closure.
― How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom director Takashi Watanabe wrote on Twitter last Tuesday that at least one animation studio has gone on lockdown due to a COVID cluster. Watanabe stated that there was an "implicit gag order" but he had heard about the studio closure. Watanabe added that he thought...
Kemono Friends Production Company Launches LGBTQ Sensitivity Reader Service
8million highlighted the need for consultancy in an era where the English word "diversity" is also becoming commonplace in Japan
― Digital contents production company 8million (formerly Yaoyorozu) announced an LGBTQ sensitivity reader service last week. The "Debate+ LGBTQ" service will provide feedback from LGBTQ individuals and allies to clients before their product is released. The company produced...
Kadokawa President Apologizes for "Pro-Censorship" Remarks
Takeshi Natsuno came under fire online for saying that manga publishing standards should change for Google, Apple
― Kadokawa president and chief executive officer Takeshi Natsuno apologized on Wednesday for "inappropriate remarks" he made last week concerning sexually stimulating content in manga. His comments, which were made on an Abema Prime program regarding the appropriateness of gravure in boy'...
Crunchyroll Market Research: Only 6% of Gen Z Don't Know What Anime Is
Compared to 27% of the general population
― Alden Mitchell Budill, Crunchyroll's Head of Global Partnerships and Content Strategy, shared some of the company's market research at the Acceleration Japan (A-JAPAN) industry showcase event on Thursday. According to the survey, only 6% of Generation Z don't know what anime is, compared to 27% of the general population. Budill sees potential in the expansi...
Anime Industry Professionals Criticize Anime Tube Kickstarter as "Total Scam"
Professionals call out streaming app's unrealistic promises as Kickstarter raises over US$110,000 since Tuesday
― Note: As of Friday, July 9, 2021 Kickstarter has taken down the Anime Tube campaign. Edit: The company behind Anime Tube has asked ANN to not link to an image of its registered address as listed in public records. Since its launch on Tuesday, a Kickstarter campaign has earned over US$110,...
Anime Producer Explains the Business of Greenlighting Sequels
"What are the requirements for greenlighting an anime sequel? How can fans (politely) get their voices heard?" Anime producer Masuo Ueda answered these questions and more when he appeared on JoJo's Bizarre Adventure: Diamond Is Unbreakable and Knights of the Zodiac: Saint Seiya character designer Terumi Nishii's YouTube channel in a video posted last Friday. The video has English subtitles. Ueda e...
MAPPA's New Studio Annex Will "Improve the Workplace Environment"
Company plans to create "animators village" in future with shop & café for fans
― Photos of MAPPA's new "Studio Annex" building were publicly released on architecture media site Architecture Photo on Monday. According to the architects, the desk materials and the open space of the lounge were designed with "the intention to improve the workplace environment." "The lack of skilled animators has been w...
Animator Ippei Ichii Says Netflix Anime Produced at MAPPA Paid Bottom Rates (Updated)
Says the offer was 3,800 yen per cut when the average range is between 3.8-7k
― Animator Ippei Ichii opened up about money matters on Twitter, claiming that animators were being offered bottom rates on the production of a Netflix anime made at MAPPA. His tweet is translated as follows: Apparently, a producer working on a Netflix anime made at MAPPA suggested to pay 3,800 yen (US$34) per cut. The budg...
Tezuka Productions Head Responds to Backlash Regarding Olympic Committee's Use of Anime Characters
"The contract was signed at a time when nobody could have imagined the threat of coronavirus."
― Last week, the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) issued a series of tweets promoting the Tokyo Olympic Games using quotes attributed to characters from various anime series, including Astro Boy, Sailor Moon, and Crayon Shin-chan. As public opposition to the Tokyo Olympics continues, however, the Committee ...
Gundam Franchise Launches Sustainability Project
Bandai Namco Group launches Gunpla Recycle Project as it aims for net zero carbon emissions by 2050
― Bandai Namco Group announced last Tuesday that it has launched a sustainability project "Gundam Universal Century Development Action." The project aims to address problems related to human population and the earth's environment by platforming new ideas and technology. The project's first initiative i...
Shueisha Trademarks Clothing Patterns of 3 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Characters
Trademarks registered for Tomioka, Shinobu, Rengoku; denied for Tanjirō, Nezuko, Zenitsu
― Huffington Post Japan reported that Shueisha has trademarked the clothing patterns for the following Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba characters: Giyū Tomioka, Shinobu Kocho, and Kyōjurō Rengoku. The trademark was denied for the clothing patterns of Tanjirō Kamado, Nezuko Kamado, and Zenitsu Agatsuma. The tradema...
Voice Actor Jonah Scott Removed from Mr Love Queen's Choice Game Following Support of Taiwan
China-based mobile game company Papergames announced in a now deleted post on the Mr Love: Queen's Choice Facebook page on Friday that it would be ending its working relationship with voice actor Jonah Scott following his (now deleted) tweet supporting Taiwan. Scott wrote on Twitter on Thursday, "Taiwan is a country!" In response, all of Scott's voiced lines from the game have been removed. Scott ...
Anime Director Shinji Takamatsu Discusses Influence of Chinese Streaming on Anime Production Schedules
TV anime releasing in China must have all episodes completed 3 months in advance for content check
― Cute High Earth Defense Club LOVE! and RobiHachi director Shinji Takamatsu posted a popular tweet on Saturday regarding the influence of China on the production schedules of recent television anime. His tweet thread is translated below as follows: Anime these days has a long production period. It's di...
Funimation Voice Actors Discuss Discrimination Against Asian American Talent
Emi Lo, Apphia Yu, Shawn Gann share representation issues, criticisms of casting practices
― Funimation voiceover actors Emi Lo, Apphia Yu, and Shawn Gann spoke to Indie Wire earlier this week about discrimination against Asian American actors in the film and voiceover industries. The discussion was prompted by the rise in anti-Asian violence and hate speech across the United States in recent months....
Mainichi: Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Canned Coffee Sells Over 100 Million Units
Can anime collaborations pave the future for Japan's shrinking canned coffee market?
― In October, soft drink company DyDo Drinco Inc. issued Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba canned coffee with 28 different collectible designs. They ended up selling over 100 million cans by March 2021. Mainichi Shimbun interviewed Tomiya Takamatsu, president of DyDo Drinco's parent company DyDo Group Holdings Inc., abo...
Veteran Anime Unit Director Says He Wants to Rectify Industry Abuse
"When I told lawyers that my anime work doesn't involve a contract, they were all shocked."
― Anime unit and episode director Taiki Nishimura recently spoke of his desire to rectify the abuses in the industry. In a tweet posted on Monday, he wrote: "When I told lawyers that my anime work doesn't involve a contract, they were all shocked. I want to do my best to help straighten out this industry which...
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