Meet Jun Sugawara from Animator Supporters, a Tokyo-based non-profit founded in 2010 to give a leg up to new, underpaid talent in the anime scene. Sugawara kicked things off with the New Animator Grand Prix in 2011, a contest that spots fresh talent and helps them out with housing costs. By 2014, he opened the doors to the first Animator …

In 1972, Masao Maruyama founded the anime studio Mad House with Mr. Sugino, Mr. Hata and others. He is involved in many phases of anime production, including planning, music, casting, and more. He is the producer of Yawara!, Card Capture Sakura, Claymore, and Death Note, and the creative producer of Hunter x Hunter, Chihayafuru, and many more Mad House animes. …

Tokyo Lens, is a videographer based in Tokyo, Japan. After becoming the apprentice of the legendary Shamisen players, ‘The Yoshida Brothers’, he kicked off the Tokyo Lens channel as a way to share everything from Japan’s quirky side, to the hidden secrets of Japan’s mountains or Tokyo’s rooftops. The goal is simple: Capture history now and show just how good …

Producer Koji Nagai was born in Kobe, Japan. Since 1993, he has directed music programs, informational programs, and variety shows, among others.  He has been an animation programs producer since 2006, and has produced shows such as Ace Attorney, Space Brothers, Space Brothers #0, MIX meisei story, Magic Kaito 1412, The Kindaichi Case Files R, Kekkaishi, Yashahime: Princess Half Demon, …

Toshi has spent more than half of his life reading comic books and watching cartoons for a living. His career in the industry now spans three decades and includes work across anime production, localization, and manga translation. He began his career working on the anime magazine ANIMAG, then spent 12 years producing anime at Viz Media, followed by two years …

Shinichiro Watanabe is a Japanese film director, screenwriter, and music producer who was born in Kyoto, Japan in 1965.  Formerly an employees at Sunrise, Watanabe supervised the episode direction and storyboards of may Sunrise anime. He made his directorial debut as co-director of Macross Plus.   As a director, he has worked on such titles as Macross Plus, Cowboy Bebop, …

Animator/Director. CEO of Mobius Tone Co., Ltd. / Advisor, Anihatch Co., Ltd. Kazushige Yusa is a 2D and 3D animation writer, director, and illustrator.  Yusa previously worked for Tatsunoko Production Company. He worked on pieces such as Urusei Yatsura, Touch, The Moomins and Ojarumaru.  He also works on short films such as NHK’s Okaasan to Issho, Inai Inai Baa, and …

Hiroshi Nagahama was born in 1970 in Saiki, Ooita, Japan and is an animator and director. He started his career at Madhouse Studio, where he worked on The Cockpit and Azuki-chan.  After leaving Madhouse Studio, he became a freelancer,  working on the conceptual design for Revolutionary Girl Utena.  After that, he worked as the storyboard writer and animation director for …

The☆Jacabal’s are a “Samurai Actor” unit that performs on stage, TV, and in dramas in Japan. In 2005, Ryo, Shigezumi, and Jigoro formed The Chonmage Gundan Super.  In 2006, about 1200 people came to the first performance of “Ishikawa Goemon”.   In 2012, they decided they wanted to take on new challenges other than only Tate (sword-dancing) and historical plays, and …

“¥90,000 (approx. $900)” This is the average monthly salary that typical animators who are in their 20’s are said to make. Japanese anime is produced under this harsh working condition. The organization “Animator Supporters” was founded in 2010 by Jun Sugawara in order to find ways that ordinary anime fans (just like you and me!) can help solve this issue. …