# Anime’s Pay Divide Runs Between Studios That Take Risks and Those That Don’t, Says Tokyo Festival Advisor

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/animes-pay-divide-runs-between-studios-that-take-risks-and-those-that-dont-says-tokyo-festival-advisor/
- Published: 2026-10-26T06:42:07+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-26T07:11:33+00:00
- Original publisher: Variety
- Original article: https://variety.com/2026/film/festivals/anime-pay-divide-studios-appetite-risk-tokyo-advisor-1236930984/
- Topics: Asia, Entertainment, Film, World

## Key points

- Pay gaps reflect studios’ differing willingness to take financial risks.
- Better pay can help studios attract talent and make stronger work.
- Original films face funding and distribution challenges.

## Summary

Anime companies willing to invest their own money and take greater business risks are better placed to pay staff properly, attract talent and make successful work, says Tokyo International Film Festival animation advisor Fujitsu Ryota. He argues that this growing divide helps explain uneven pay and conditions, and cautions against treating them as one industry-wide problem.

The festival’s Animation section features nine works, including four Japanese films spanning major studios and independent productions, alongside international titles and a focus on women directors. Fujitsu says original animated features face financing and distribution risks as streaming investment and established theatrical franchises grow; public funding for Japanese animation is scarce. The article text ends mid-sentence while discussing the number of Japanese animated films.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.