Less than working in a convenience store! Industry insiders reveal the salary of Pokémon animators

The reason why "Pokemon" can be so popular all over the world is that in addition to the popularity of the original game, the uninterrupted animation series has also contributed to the promotion of IP awareness. Unfortunately, not all practitioners of "Pokemon" animation can enjoy the fruits of their labor as much as players.

45-year-old freelance animator Jun Arai, who has participated in the production of works such as "Junjo Tenant Beautiful Landlord", "Gurren Lagann", "Higurashi When They Cry" and "Sword Art Online", recently boldly exposed on Twitter that the animators of the "Pokemon" animation are paid very low wages - many people may only earn 4,500 yen from each cut.

"The animators responsible for Pokémon get 4,500 yen per storyboard, which means that the workers of Pokémon animation receive the lowest level of salary in the entire Japanese animation industry. If you convert it to hourly wages, it is less than what you earn working in a convenience store."

It is worth mentioning that Jun Arai himself does not seem to be directly involved in the "Pokemon" animation work, so the salary level of 4,500 yen/cut may just be his estimate after receiving relevant information. However, Arai's revelation is consistent with many rumors about the decline of the animation industry recently. It is no secret that Japanese animators have a hard time getting the compensation they deserve. And it seems that even a global money-making IP like "Pokemon" cannot avoid this problem.