The anime 'is finished' according to the director of Evangelion

In recent days, an intense debate has resurfaced on Japanese social media around a statement made by Hideaki Anno in 2015, the famed director of "Neon Genesis Evangelion," who then expressed concern about the bleak future of the anime industry in Japan. In that interview, Anno noted that the industry had passed its heyday and was beginning an inevitable decline, suggesting that in a matter of years the sector would be forced to change. Now, almost a decade later, this prophecy has motivated reflections and criticism among fans and professionals.

The original statement was as follows:

• Anno claimed in 2015 that the anime production system in Japan was on the verge of collapse, predicting that it would not last more than five years. According to the director, the shortage of human and financial resources would lead Japan to lose its central role in anime production, leaving room for other Asian countries, with more favorable conditions, to take over. Anno concluded, however, that the anime would not disappear, but that its production center would be moved out of Japan.

Anno's comments have generated mixed responses on social networks. Some users support his stance, acknowledging that Japanese anime faces serious structural and financial challenges. As one user comments, "perhaps he is right about the end of the anime industry in Japan", who adds that the interest of large foreign investments could change the landscape, leading to Japan ending up outsourcing tasks instead of leading the sector.

Other users, however, reject Anno's fatalistic stance. One comment highlights, "When is it supposed to end?" This skepticism reflects a general perception that while the anime industry has its struggles, it's still not as close to collapse as Anno predicted. Another user comments, "Don't say that the whole anime is bad just because you are," questioning whether Anno's criticism isn't motivated more by personal experiences than by a true assessment of the state of the industry.

Another sector of the debate points to the excessive number of productions that are released each season, highlighting the lack of originality and the dependence on genres such as isekai. One user comments: "there are only mediocre isekai works", suggesting that the saturation of this type of content may be weakening the industry. In addition, some indicate that the problems do not only come from the production itself, but from a business model based on 'pachinko' and the exploitation of licenses, which has ceased to be so effective.

The Japanese industry's reliance on outsourcing to China has also been a point of contention. Several users pointed out that China has already surpassed Japan in terms of production volume and market. Another user sarcastically concluded that China will eventually take the lead, providing high-quality anime to the world.

Source: Yaraon!