The 2022 latest research (Source : IT media) shows that more than 50% of freelancers in anime industry earn less than 20000USD (3million JPY) in 2021.  60% of these are so called animators including character designer. This does not mean more than 50% earn 20000USD annually. But most of them are expectedly earning much less such as less than 10000USD per year.

25% of animators say they will be out of job after Oct, 2023 (among of which, 40.6% being in 20s and 36.7% being in 30s). This timing is the start of a new tax related regulation called Invoice system in Japan. This system increases more burden on the corporations to make sure all of their suppliers (in this case, animators) to follow the system but in reality animators can not afford to follow with documentations in their busy daily lives.

Only 3% answers they earn more than 10million JPY in 2021.

The research was conducted between 9-16 Oct, 2022 for 1132 freelancers in anime industry.

So, many animators earn low and face the inflation issue but how animators survive in Japan?

One very common way is to live with the parents and pay no or little rent.

Another way we see more common from now is to form an organization (semi-legal entity) to hire animators and collect some budget to follow the invoice system.

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