In a recent interview with Borderless, Kiero Itsumithe administrative director of Studio Pierrotspoke about the working conditions of animators and what the studio is doing to improve them.
O Studio Pierrot is one of Japan’s best-known studios, having animated anime such as naruto, Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Bleach It is Black Cloverand about its animators its director commented:
In the past, the anime industry was known for its thin profit margins, and there may have been an image that creators were expected to work in a way that disregarded labor standards. But nowadays, proper work management is essential. The mentality of doing your best with ‘courage and determination’ of the Showa era no longer applies.
Studio Pierrot increased by 20% animators’ remuneration:
Humans, not computers, create anime. So if these humans get exhausted, there’s nothing we can do. This way of creating things is not sustainable in the long term. That’s why, since I joined Pierrot, we’ve made significant salary reviews and even retroactively increased overtime pay by 20%. I believe we have dedicated ourselves to improving working conditions.
The director also stated that he hopes his animators can receive feedback from anime fans around the world.
I want area creators to see more user feedback. When I see events like the international presentation of Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, everyone gets really excited and that really moves me. It’s like, ‘Wow, they love it so much.’ That’s the kind of reaction I want to show creators. Everyone can move forward happily and sustainably. Pierrot intends to remain an anime studio in the future.
