I was talking to another veteran animator the other day about what we'll be working on after our current projects are over. His show is in its second season, and he has another steady gig at a different studio. There's been some fluctuation in income because of the current economical situation, but he wasn't worried about not having work. As for me, my contract for Sōten Kōro expires sometime next spring, so it's still premature to think about what to do next. Then, it struck me how lucky we were to have work when the number of shows produced are in decline. Unfortunately, it seems to be affecting the younger artists who haven't established their positions in the industry yet.

It wasn't that long ago when anyone who was healthy enough to hold a pencil could call themselves an animator. Unskilled artists produced tons of sub-par artwork and still got paid the same amount as the skilled ones, and that was just a fact of life. An insane number of shows were pumped out every day in this manner. It was about that time that I returned to Japan from the U.S. to work at Madhouse. I was shown a list of titles Madhouse was working on at the time, and I remember counting as many as 25. Naturally, it's impossible for a single studio to take on that many shows simultaneously, so most of them were outsourced.

Nowadays, I think the list is down to approximately 10 titles (excluding pilots); if that is any indication of decline in the number of shows produced in general, then industry productivity has declined to less than half of what it used to be at its peak. Younger artists, many of whom were accustomed to getting lots of job offers regardless of their skill level, are suddenly stranded without work. I've heard that such artists are not very proactive about searching for work on their own because they never had to do so in the past. In fact, many seem to be afraid to even call up the studios to ask for work. I personally care very much about paying my bills on time, so it's beyond my comprehension why anyone would wait around for the phone to ring while their savings are depleted. I was skeptical of such rumors until I actually found a thread on 2chan that discussed that very problem. Although 2chan cannot be considered a reliable source, you can usually find some grains of truth in it if you actually take the time to read through it, and there, I found artists who werre indeed very scared to make that phone call.

"What if I get rejected?" "What if they don't know what I'm talking about?" Whatever. They're not getting any sympathy from me unless they start trying, but I do understand how frightening it is to suddenly be without a job. Many of those who responded to such posts were generally kind, and offered much encouragement and tips on how to overcome anxiety. I hope these artists will make use of the advice and find the courage to make that phone call. As dismal as it may seem, work is out there for those who are serious enough to stay in this career.

The plans for building the National Media Arts Center, popularly known as the Kokuei Manga Kissa (government-run internet cafe), or the Anime no Dendou (Anime Palace), are now official. Many are still opposed to this plan, saying it is a colossal waste of tax money, but there are many others who support the idea, claiming such an establishment is crucial for the preservation and progress of unique Japanese media art. This establishment will not only serve as a tourist attraction, but an educational center aimed to train young artists.

It sounds good in theory, doesn't it? The biggest problem is the incredible amount of money needed just to construct the building, and there is no solid plan yet as to what's going in there and how it's going to be operated. No tax money was to be spent beyond the construction, so once the building is up, this "Anime Palace" is expected to operate on its own. A recently established preparatory committee consisting of 14 various media and art professionals has already decided that government assistance is a must unless someone comes up with a brilliant money-making idea.

The Agency of Cultural Affairs agreed to support the educational and archiving costs beginning in 2011 (which could be a short-lived promise if the LDP party loses in the coming election). The committee will announce its basic plan by mid-July, and is aiming to vote/decide on the plan by October. It looks like the plan is to consolidate everything--the museum, archives, research, training center, theaters, tourist attractions--all in one building.

The prime minister, Taro Aso, did everything he could to push this budget through, so something good has to come out of it. I wonder if that homeless guy I see everyday reads manga. I hope he does, because alhough he'll continue to remain homeless, helpless, and sick, manga will surely offer him some joy to his otherwise miserable life. Good going, Aso-san.