Crunchyroll is one of the top-ranked streaming services. Today it exists as a subsidiary of Funimation, an organization based in Texas in the United States of America. However, there have been some disturbing developments that anime enthusiasts noted over the past few days.
A viral claim spread like wildfire through Twitter and other social media initiatives. Take a look at this tweet.
This elicited hundreds of reactions, as most people were shocked at these rates. Anairis Quinones confirmed that she was paid a paltry sum of $150 for her role as Rika Orimoto in Jujutsu Kaisen 0, a movie that minted over 30 million dollars from theatres worldwide. Tara Jayne Sands also expressed her displeasure and concurred with Anairis’s tweet.
Kyle McCarley voiced Mob during the first two seasons of Mob Psycho 100. His efforts were appreciated by fans of the English dub across the globe. Crunchyroll announced that Kyle would be dropped after he failed to reach an agreement regarding the pay disparity, and many others VA roles would be recast.
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Following this development, Twitter went berserk, and fans have now started demanding better working conditions for actors who put their heart and soul into voicing our beloved characters.
After Kyle released a video stating that he probably won’t be returning to voice Mob this season, veterans of the same industry have also spoken out about the low pay of voice actors.
This isn’t a problem endemic to just Voice Actors either. Japanese mangakas have notorious deadlines and are forced to meet them because of strict contract policies associated with Jump. Despite his shoulder injury, Tite Kubo, the creator of Bleach, had concluded the manga. The cause wasn’t explicitly revealed, but even Togashi, the writer of Yu Yu Hakusho and Hunter X Hunter, endures chronic back problems that persist to this day.
Most studios in Japan hire freelancers to work on anime shows that get greenlit. These freelancers get paid abysmally low rates, and the only thing that keeps them dedicated is their immense love for the craft.
Asian Boss did an interview a few years ago wherein a struggling animator revealed how she could barely afford a roof over her head because of the industry’s policies. You can watch the entire video below.
Even the popular streaming platform Netflix was called out for its low pay policy involving Japanese animators.
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On the other hand, some organizations like Studio Ghibli and Kyoto Animation have been praised because they hire artists and pay them a fixed rate of 200,000 yen per month. This meets a certain standard that allows the animators to have a dignified existence. Now, this conundrum has surfaced and enveloped the dubbing industry associated with anime.
The time for lamenting has passed. If we, as otakus, don’t call out the bureaucrats, then who will? Isn’t it time that things change and we head towards a brighter tomorrow? Let us know your thoughts about this whole matter, and don’t hesitate to raise your voice.