As much joy and entertainment as anime brings, there is a darker side to the medium we love. Working conditions for staff can be punishing, with relentless deadlines and grueling hours leading to serious physical and mental health issues. It’s no surprise that many young artists are opting out of the industry altogether, resulting in a shortage of new talent that threatens anime’s future.

Shinichiro Ikeda, president of Studio Deen—known for titles like Urusei Yatsura and Ranma ½—is speaking out about his unconventional approach to work. Since taking over as CEO in 2011, Ikeda has been determined to break the bad habits of the anime industry’s work culture.

The Dark Side of Anime Production

Studio Deen Believes It's Time to Change the System

Ikeda recalled a conversation with Studio Deen’s previous owner, who suggested visiting the company between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. to see it at its most "energetic." Ikeda was stunned. "When I heard that, I first wanted to get rid of that custom," he said. Even at its most successful, Studio Deen’s staff was exhausted. So, about seven or eight years ago, he proposed a simple yet radical idea: "Let’s go home at 6 p.m." But executives resisted, arguing that deadlines would be impossible to meet without excessive overtime.

Despite concerns that shorter hours would hurt revenue, Ikeda stood firm. "We made it a policy to go home early even if it meant lower sales," he said. Predictably, profits dipped at first, but productivity soon improved, and sales rebounded. He believed that pushing employees to work late led to sloppy output, whereas structured hours encouraged focus and efficiency. "I don’t think having employees work overtime to make a profit is business management," he stated. "The role of a manager is to make a profit as a company and pay employees a fair wage."

Studio Deen Is a Model for the Future of Anime?

Prioritizing Efficiency Over Exhaustion

The approach seems to be working. Studio Deen is now celebrating its 50th anniversary with several new titles in the pipeline for 2025, including I'm a Noble on the Brink of Ruin, So I Might as Well Try Mastering Magic and Magic Maker: How to Make Magic in Another World.

Even so, Ikeda’s stance remains rare in an industry where brutal hours are often seen as just part of the job. But as more animators speak out about burnout and poor working conditions, his policy could be a step in the right direction. Maybe it’s proof that you don’t have to sacrifice your health to make great anime—you just need a better way of working.

Source: Comic Natalie