Or at least, that’s what Roland Kelts quotes one Japanese exec as saying in this article from the Yomiuri.

In the article, Kelts talks about the pessimistic attitude that many Japanese business people have towards Japan’s prospects, on account of the weak yen, the low birth rate, and various other hot topics among Japan’s elites.

The interesting point is the reaction of Americans to this pessimism, which is roughly: “Wait, wtf? We just found this stuff. Give us more!”

Still, in the midst of constant talk over how poorly the anime industry is doing– both inside AND outside of Japan –it’s worth keeping in mind the anime industry in the context of the rest of Japan, which is also having a weak economic period.

Posted by gia in Anime, JP News, Misc, News • Comments (1)

So sayeth Koichi Murata, the president of Oh Entertainment, in this article talking about the increasingly unpleasant working conditions of animators in Japan. This unstable and low-paying environment is turning potential animators to other careers, and many animation companies to seek animators in other countries to help out.

The article mentions fansubs as a growing and important concern (especially for smaller studios, who lack the resources to mount a lawsuit), but at least in part taking a back seat to concerns for the animators– a refreshing change on the one hand, but on the other hand, the industry hardly needs MORE problems.

But then, it’s not a new problem, either. A very interesting read for anyone who keeps an eye on the industry, I should think.

Posted by gia in Anime, JP News, Misc, News • Comments (1)

The subject line is only true if the probably-pending Prime Minister is an anime and manga nut who has already displayed his desire to make use of the popular media to improve Japan’s image– and make money –worldwide.

Nonetheless, the Wall Street Journal reports that following the announcement of Shinzo Abe’s resignation, shares of Japanese companies that create and sell anime and manga or other nerd-related stuff (the WSJ actually uses the word “otaku!”) went up– such as Broccoli, which went up 71% (which still only left it at a whopping ¥157). GDH (Gonzo) went up only 8.2% but that brings it to ¥51,400. For you economics geeks, the overall stock market actually went down about 0.5%.

One investor actually referred to these companies as “Aso-related shares” and said that if he does become Prime Minister, the companies may jump up to another 10%. Man, I wish I could invest in the Japanese stock market.