Danica Davidson
November 7, 2022 
Even though anime is getting bigger, there are still a number of issues within the industry, including the fact that many animators are not paid livable wages. Animator Supporters is a group from Japan working to change that. They recently made an animated music video, and are now preparing to make their second animated music video, this time with voice actress Aya Hirano lending her talents as a vocalist. Hirano has voiced Haruhi in the Haruhi Suzumiya series, Misa in Death Note, and Lucy Heartfilia in Fairy Tail.
Animator Supporters has started a campaign on GoGetFunding.com, hoping to raise $100,000. So far they’ve raised about $26,000.
The fundraising page explains:
“Thanks to your generous support, we successfully completed our first music video!
For our last project, we were able to secure adequate funding by campaigning not only in Japan but overseas as well.
Because of that, we were able to pay our animators our highest goal of 180 dollars per keyframe, 2 to 4 times more than the industry standard.
This time, we’re hoping to make a second animated music video, now with Aya Hirano as our vocalist.
Going forward, we plan to produce these kinds of short-form animations regularly, and in the near future, pay our animators a fixed salary rather than by piece rate.
We would like to produce these animations at a rate of 1 animation per year consistently.
Our goal is to accumulate staff and industry know-how over the next few years while we create our own anime studio which caters to the needs of those who create anime.
11 years have passed since the founding of this non-profit in 2010.
Upon our founding, we supplied new, underpaid animators with $5400 in yearly housing support. We also opened the New Animator Dormitory in 2014 where we supply housing also to new, underpaid animators.”
If you are interested in donating (people are given goodies for helping out) or to learn more about the issues going on in the anime industry and what Animator Supporters thinks will help, check out their fundraising page here.
Source: Animator Supporters
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
