Questionable practices and work conditions in the anime industry have been an ever-present and ongoing discussion among fan bases of the art form's biggest properties. Towering demands and grueling hours all while working within tight deadlines, those making a living while creating some of the most beloved content in the anime world do not have it easy. Horror stories have arisen from animators and directors on numerous occasions, and as the demand for anime continues to grow, so too do the demands placed on those responsible for the product.

Several of the biggest studios have faced accusations of poor or unfair working conditions from employees. Most infamously, in recent years, the famed Studio MAPPA has come under fire from the staff responsible for Jujutsu Kaisen's masterpiece second season. As anime only continues to rapidly increase in quality, Japan's Fair Trade Commission seems to finally have had enough, and is launching an investigation into the industry's largest problems.

Japan's FTC Is Investigating Unfair Practices in the Anime Industry

The Commission Is Looking Into Transactions Between Creators and Production Companies

While harsh conditions have defined the anime industry for years, those working under subcontractors are also often subject to low wages for meeting the unrealistic demands of larger companies. As initially reported by Asahi Shimbun, Japan's FTC has taken notice of the unfair practices in the industry, and has ed a form to their website in hopes that creators will share their experiences and shed light on the nature of transactions between them and contractors.

The Fair Trade Commission is searching for any violations of the Antimonopoly Act, Subcontracting Act, and the Freelance Act. After collecting data and further investigating the state of the anime industry, a report is expected to be published sometime later in 2025. Given the increasing number of complaints and accusations placed on even the largest animation studios in the industry, an investigation into unfair practices is somewhat overdue. Stricter regulations will likely have an incredibly positive impact on the health of creators going forward.

Increased Demand for Anime Worldwide Has Led to Greater Expectations

Creators Are Forced to Work Harder Than Ever to Meet Expectations

It's no secret that anime is the biggest it has ever been on a global scale. Shows like the aforementioned Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer have raised the bar in of visual quality, and the popularity of these series has created greater expectations from fans and industry executives. Recently, the producer of the smash hit Spy x Family expressed a desire to return to the 'two-cour' format anime season, though explained that increased demands have made it entirely too difficult to produce anything more than 12-episode seasons.

Now that Japan's FTC has taken it upon themselves to launch an investigation into unfair practices within the industry, it seems that the goal of producing longer seasons might be further away than it already seemed. However, the resulting findings are sure to create better, healthier work spaces for the creators responsible for anime's biggest hits. And that will be a far better outcome than anything else in the current state of the industry.

Source: Asahi Shimbun