Randomness Ensues

Shirobako Infographic Sheds Light On Anime Industry Salaries


Have you ever wondered what the salary spread is for folks in the anime industry? Do you wonder if animators are really paid as little as you’ve heard?

Well, wonder no more! A new infographic based on Shirobako, the anime about making anime, outlines the average salaries of the various positions presented in the show.

Shirobako Salary Infographic - 20141119
Source: Crunchyroll

The breakdown is as follows:

  • Animator: 1.1104 million yen ($9,400)
  • College Student: 2.003 million yen ($17,200)
  • Part-timer/”Freeter”: 2.18 million yen ($18,700)
  • Production Assistant: 2.28 million yen ($19,500)
  • CG Animator: 2.61 million yen ($22,400)
  • Episode Director: 3.336 million yen ($28,600)
  • Series Director: 4.955 million yen ($42,500)
  • Chief Animator: 5.131 million yen ($44,000)
  • Executive Producer: 7.54 million yen ($64,600)
  • A-list Voice Actor: 70 million yen ($599,900)

As one would expect, the voice actors make the big bucks, while those who toil the hardest to make the shows we love end up at the very bottom of the pay scale. Heck, even college kids and part-timers take home more than the average animator, which says a lot about the state of the industry, at this point.

It’s a cute way of presenting a fairly depressing reminder that not all positions are created equally in the anime industry.

About the author

Samantha Ferreira

Samantha Ferreira is Anime Herald’s founder and editor-in-chief. A Rhode Island native, Samantha has been an anime fan since 1992, and an active member of the anime press since 2002, when she began working as a reviewer for Anime Dream. She launched Anime Herald in 2010, and continues to oversee its operations to this day. Outside of journalism, Samantha actively studies the history of the North American anime fandom and industry, with a particular focus on the 2000s anime boom and bust. She’s a huge fan of all things Sakura Wars, and maintains series fansite Combat Revue Review when she has free time available. When not in the Anime Herald Discord, Samantha can typically be found on Bluesky.

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