Otaku USA Magazine
Covid Outbreaks In China, South Korea Slowing Anime Production

Covid Outbreaks In China, South Korea Slowing Anime ProductionIt’s time to bust out the harried Shirobako images, because it’s another tale of industry woe.

As y’all are well aware, a large chunk of anime production gets outsourced to firms in places like China and South Korea. Now, according to one industry insider, Covid outbreaks in those countries are taking a toll on anime production lines.

The source of this info is Kyoko Kotani, a key animator and animation director who’s worked on shows like Spy x Family and Dance with Devils.

Tweets Kotani:

The workers at an animation company in China have been down for several days due to a Covid infection, and it seems that the amount of work we can ask them to do is decreasing.

The good news? The Chinese New Year was already built in to a lot of schedules, so Kotani posits this might not have a huge effect on the upcoming season.

The bad news? Kotani tweets again:

Not only Chinese animation companies, but also South Korean companies are finding it tougher and tougher to ask for work due to Covid, and it has become impossible for the title I am working on, which is not a TV series, to be in colored fully by end of this year.

Other industry folks chimed in, adding that they’re also feeling the crunch.

Of course, there’s no one to blame in a situation like this, but don’t be shocked if some anime gets delayed in the coming months.

https://twitter.com/koni_ko222/status/1605782096722567169

Source: Otakomu

Matt Schley

Matt Schley (rhymes with "guy") lives in Tokyo, and has been OUSA's "man in Japan" since 2012. He's also written about anime and Japanese film for the Japan Times, Screen Daily and more.

Comments