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‘Japan will be overtaken in no time’ by China, says anime industry insider
- Industry heavyweight Masao Maruyama fears Japan is losing its anime edge because of a tilt towards commercialism amid rising Chinese competition
- Success has distracted Japan from systematically fostering next-generation talent, he said, even as China invests aggressively in young animators
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Japan’s powerhouse anime business risks being overtaken by rising Chinese competition because a tilt towards commercialism has stifled creativity, industry heavyweight Masao Maruyama has warned.
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Maruyama, a protégé of manga great Osamu Tezuka, said he fears Japan is losing its edge.
“In Japan, people are no longer trained in animation,” he said in an interview.
“The only reason China hasn’t quite caught up with Japan yet is because of a bunch of restrictions imposed on free expression there,” he said. “If more freedom is unleashed, Japan will be overtaken in no time.”
The only reason China hasn’t quite caught up with Japan yet is because of a bunch of restrictions imposed on free expression there
Maruyama doesn’t draw or direct, but he has clout that few in Japan’s anime industry can match because of the breadth of the behind-the-scenes roles he has played – from studio founder and recruiter to fixer.
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