Rationalist Hero Supervisor Slams Anime Studios for Running During the Pandemic

 

It is uncommon for Japanese makers to openly air their grievances with the business they deal with, but Takashi Watanabe, the director of the isekai anime Exactly how A Rationalist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom, required to Twitter to slam anime studios for focusing on manufacturing over the wellness of their musicians and animators.

Watanabe is a market professional who has actually serviced programs such as Slayers Next, Fullmetal Panic, Oreimo and also Sword Art Online, and is currently directing How A Rationalist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom at the workshop J.C. Personnel, which likewise created shows such as Revolutionary Lady Utena as well as the second period of One Strike Man. On Twitter, the supervisor exposed that at least one other anime workshop has been shut-down because of a cluster of COVID-19 infections within its offices. "Although there is an implied gag order, I have actually heard that a minimum of one firm has actually had a collection and also the workshop has been shut," Watanabe revealed, including, "There might be more (workshops,) but no details flows," indicating that these workshops are attempting to maintain information of infections within their firms peaceful. Watanabe shared his own concern and irritation, claiming "I don't know when I will get in close contact. Harmful waters ... Why does not the anime market quit working?"
Japan just recently expanded its state of emergency situation treatments to September, complying with a record high of over 100,000 brand-new COVID-19 cases in Tokyo alone throughout the month of August. A lack of healthcare facility beds in Tokyo have forced officials to ask 25,000 individuals to recover at their residences.

The anime and also manga industries have actually both been greatly criticized for prioritizing productivity over staff member health and wellness. A recent New york city Times investigation located that some full time animators working with anime make as a little as $200 a month, as well as several of the animators they spoke to revealed stories of being hospitalized as a result of fatigue and also tension. One of the workshops that is a constant target of these objections, MAPPA, lately introduced that they were increasing salaries and supplying better advantages to the animators on its most recent job, an anime adaptation of the popular Chainsaw Male anime.

While some anime and also manga productions have actually experienced delays as a result of the on going COVID-19 pandemic, the sector has actually experienced a boom in sales and viewership as quarantined target markets seek brand-new home entertainment. At a roundtable panel at this year's Comic-Con, agents from the most significant manga publishers disclosed that they were experiencing unmatched need for their titles across the board, including re-releases of older titles and also record sales for previous particular niche styles. Crunchyroll additionally just recently announced that it had actually exceeded 5 million paid customers, quickly before the business's sale to Sony for over $1 billion USD was completed.

Just How a Realist Hero Rebuilt the Kingdom premiered on July 4 and will broadcast its 9th out of 13 episodes on Aug. 29. The series has been accredited by Funimation for distribution beyond Asia.