As Japan lifts its COVID-19 restrictions, anime studios are facing production issues.
Shikimori is not just a cutie was one of the most anticipated anime in the spring 2022 season, but now it may not be able to air beyond the first episode.
Studio Dogo Kobo announced on the show’s official website that it had temporarily closed due to a rapid increase in COVID-19 cases among its staff members. The staff is currently in discussions about how future broadcasts will continue. “The production committee will put the health and safety of the staff and cast first,” the official statement from him read.
This is not the first time that COVID-19 has caused delays with an early release. popular mecha anime 86 He had to delay his last two episodes by several months due to production problems. With Japan lifting its 106-country entry ban that was put in place to protect against the virus, and lifting other restrictions altogether, as well as new COVID-19 variants like Mu and Xe and cases, it’s possible that the surge in cases may affect the production of several popular programs.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like every animation studio is willing to be as responsible as Dogo Kobo. Takashi Watanabe, the director behind assassins and more recently How a royalist hero rebuilt the kingdomdiscussed above On twitter how there was an “implied gag order” when sharing news related to the spread of the virus and how a studio closed due to rising infections. “Won’t they understand unless animation workers start dying one after another? Or is it the responsibilities of the workers because they are often self-employed? Isn’t the company itself responsible?”
An animator named Nyonnyon has also previously shared that several other studios had lockdowns due to the COVID-19 virus. Several famous voice actors in the industry have also contracted the virus, including Tetsuya Kakihara, Junichi Suwabe, and Hiro Shimono. Almost the entire voice cast of The Idolm@ster SideM managed to contract the virus in a single week in 2021.
As global demand for anime continues to rise, studios will have to balance a delicate tightrope between keeping industry members safe and producing the content that audiences demand. With American productions like Adult Swim even outsourcing to Japan for original shows, animators have been put under intense deadlines. As animators and voice actors in the US complain about being underpaid and overworked, it will be interesting to see if similar discussions about strikes or unions take place in Japan.
Dogo Kobo offices will be closed from April 6 to 17. updates on Shikimori is not just a cutie will be given on their official website and Twitter account.
Source: Shikimori’s Not Just a Cutie Website
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