Will the Anime Industry be Negatively Affected by the Current Coronavirus Situation?
Yes, the current Coronavirus situation has had a significant impact on the anime industry, as major animation networks worldwide have faced disruptions.
Impact on Major Animation Networks
Several prominent animation studios and networks have either paused or halted their animation production due to the pandemic. Here are a few notable examples:
Tear Studios
Tear Studios, known for their popular creation "Lord of Vermilion: The Crimson King," has been affected by the pandemic.
4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment, famous for popular anime series such as Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokémon, has also been impacted. The dubs for all 4Kids Entertainments' creations have faced production delays.
Artland Studios
Artland Studios, which produced "Hitman Reborn," has also stopped production due to the virus.
Studio Lagurus
Studio Lagurus, known for a variety of popular titles, including "Ghost in the Shell: The New Movie," "Devilman Crybaby," "Lu Over The Wall," among others, has paused its production due to the pandemic.
Manglobe Studios
Manglobe Studios, famous for "Deadman Wonderland" and "Ergo Proxy," has faced production delays.
Radix Ace Entertainment
Radix Ace Entertainment, known for "Sakura Wars," has had to pause its production.
Hai Film Maker
Hai Film Maker, which produced "Princess Tutu," "Kaleido Star," "Pretear," "Boys' Be… B-Gata H-kei," has also been impacted.
TopCraft
TopCraft, known for "Spirited Away" and other movies, has reportedly also faced production delays.
Production Disruptions in the Anime Industry
The immediate impact on the anime industry is clear. For example, "Re: Zero: Starting Life in Another World" has postponed its upcoming season. The larger picture is that major studios, which involve a large number of people working in close proximity, face a high risk of spreading the virus.
While some have speculated about long-term impacts, it's important to consider the historical context. Pandemics, including the current one, will eventually run out of people to infect either due to the development and distribution of a vaccine or by infecting the entire population and losing the ability to spread.
In the worst-case scenario, where the population as a whole is infected, this could result in tragic deaths from various occupations, including animators and voice actors. However, the loss of these individuals will not fundamentally end the anime industry, similar to how the hypothetical loss of managers or players in a major sports league would not end a major sports league.
Conclusion
The current Coronavirus situation has certainly disrupted the anime industry, but it is unlikely to result in a long-term unsustainable impact. The industry has survived other crises in the past, and with proper precautions and support, it will likely continue to thrive.