Director's Wage Dispute With Signal.MD
By Epic Dope Staff | February 1, 2021
Those who work in the Japanese animation industry are mostly underpaid. The shining world of anime gives way to a much darker truth.
A producer from Signal.MD, the studio behind anime like The Wonderland and Napping Princess, had refused to pay the wages of an anime director.
Shiro Kudaka, the director in question, had to report his problem to the Japan Fair Trade Commission.
The director was to be paid $3,438 in total. He was paid $1,719 in advance and the rest of the money will be paid after the anime was completed.
According to the producer, Kudaka did not do much work and did not deserve the payment. He even threatened Kudaka that he will be cut off.
Kudaka contacted the JFTC soon afterward and the issue was resolved in Jan 2021. Signal.MD has confessed that they received notice from the JFTC.