Spy x Family Creator Highlights Issues in Anime Production

Yuichi Fukushima, the producer of Spy x Family, has raised concerns about the growing difficulty of producing longer anime series.

Speaking at the Anime Connect event, Fukushima explained that creating two-cour anime (around 24 episodes) is becoming more challenging due to issues in long-term planning and production.

He emphasized the need to improve working conditions and develop creators to ensure better production outcomes.

Fukushima noted that many anime studios face declining skill levels and unfair contracts, which force them to focus on short-term survival.

These problems lead to frequent retakes and financial losses for studios, which earn only about 10% of the revenue generated by anime productions.

Rising Budgets, But Not Better Conditions

While higher licensing fees from platforms like Netflix and Crunchyroll have increased production budgets, these changes haven’t fully improved conditions for creators.

Most animators are freelancers or work on short-term contracts, making it hard to secure consistent pay.

Some studios, like WIT Studio and CloverWorks, have formed new companies, such as JOEN, to address these issues. JOEN aims to give creators a larger share of profits by involving them throughout the production process.

Calls for Government Support

The National Association of Japanese Animators (NAFCA) has also urged the government to intervene.

They propose a mandatory minimum percentage of anime profits be allocated to studios. This would help ensure fair compensation for creators without studios having to take financial risks.

Fukushima and other industry leaders agree that changes are needed to sustain the anime industry and support creators in producing high-quality, long-term series.