Yet, the industry faces a labor crisis. Animators are notoriously underpaid (often earning less than minimum wage per drawing), while producers earn fortunes. This tension between cultural prestige and corporate exploitation remains the industry’s dirty secret.
Surprisingly, Japan never abandoned physical media. However, the digital tide is turning. Viral sensations like YOASOBI (a "novel into music" project) and Official Hige Dandism dominate streaming charts. Furthermore, the underground scene—from the jazz cafes of Tokyo to the hardcore punk of Osaka—thrives alongside the mainstream. Yet, the industry faces a labor crisis