Can a millionaire commission an anime series?

Well-known screenwriter Makoto Uezu, responsible for hit series such as "Ansatsu Kyoushitsu," "Akame ga Kill!" and "KonoSuba: God's Blessing on This Wonderful World!", recently responded to an interesting question on Twitter. A user asked him how much it would cost to produce a one-season anime if a millionaire with no heirs on the verge of death asked him to.

Uezu replied, "Approximately 300 million yen (about $2.8 million). However, even if a person had that kind of money, production companies often don't have immediate availability and, in many cases, would prefer to work with trusted customers." In addition, he indicated that "if high quality is sought, both the budget and the time required would increase significantly."

This response generated a series of comments and debates among fans:

• "It seems that 300 million yen is no longer enough to commission an animation from a decent company."
• "I remember a series of 4 cours (about 50 episodes) was made with 500 million yen."
• "If production alone costs 300 million, I wonder how much more it will cost with advertising, license management and other administrative expenses."
• "To think that even mediocre anime cost so much makes me appreciate the effort behind it more."
• "I've heard that an episode of average quality costs around 30 million yen, but with today's high resolution, prices must have gone up."
• "I remember 'Jashin-chan' raising funds for the production through crowdfunding, costing 30 million yen per episode."

Uezu's revelation not only sheds light on the high cost of producing an anime, but also on additional challenges such as studio availability and a preference for reliable customers. The world of anime production is still an expensive and competitive arena, with prices that can vary significantly depending on the quality and resources available.

Source: Yaraon!