Shortage of animators in Japan drives outsourcing and partnerships with Taiwan

The shortage of skilled personnel in the Japanese anime industry is pushing studios to seek talent and partners abroad; strategic alliances have recently emerged between Japanese and Taiwanese companies to outsource and train technical staff.

Reports in recent weeks have noted significant developments: a recent example, cited by the media, indicates that TMS Entertainment has begun a collaboration with Taiwan’s R. Animation with the intention of strengthening its production chain and alleviating bottlenecks resulting from the shortage of local labor. The background is well known: Japan is facing an aging workforce and a brain drain; many young animators are giving up due to precarious wages and long working hours.

Outsourcing to Taiwan is not new historically (there has been regional collaboration for decades), but now it takes on a strategic dimension: Taiwan offers a pool of trained animators, competitive operating costs, and cultural and logistical proximity. For Japanese studios, this could mean increased production capacity and temporary relief from workloads; for Taiwan, an opportunity for growth and industrial specialization.

However, the move is not without risks: there are concerns about loss of creative control, differences in labor standards, and the possibility of labor tensions if outsourcing is not accompanied by investment in training and decent working conditions. Industry sources recommend that partnerships include technology transfer and clear agreements on rights and payments.