China has been producing a ton of anime lately, and that includes a few collaborations with Japanese producers. While many insiders say that they’re just beginning their own animation industry, many are also saying they’re catching up to Japan, and fast. One of them is Kemono Friends producer, Yoshitada Fukuhara, who made this tweet:

“Although the animation industry in China has just begun, I’m convinced they will overtake us in production in three years and in skill in five to ten years.”

However, some of Fukuhara’s followers pointed out that China had already overtaken Japan in terms of production quantity. They also said that their techniques with 2-D and 3-D animation were already at respectable levels. However, Fukuhara answered them by saying that “while that is true of children’s programming, Japanese animation’s true appeal abroad is with its more sophisticated, adult-oriented content.”

China-based anime producers, Haoliners, have already produced several adult-oriented anime. In fact, they made Hitori no Shita The Outcast, and even released it as an anime in Japan. China has also produced what fans call a “Chinese Sword Art Online” with Quanzhi Gaoshou (The King’s Avatar) . The anime received plenty of praises from fans and critics around the world.

This just means that China is improving more and more, and Fukuhara says that Japan has to be worried. Fukuhara pointed out that some of Japan’s traditionally strong industries such as cars and electronics are dwindling. Heck, he even said that Mongolians are now dominating their national sport, Sumo. However, he says that Japan remains competitive in animation and Japanese food. But with China’s anime industry on the rise, Japan has to take notice.

Currently, the Japanese animation industry has been quite infamous in terms of treating its animators. Critics have said that its own industry isn’t quite good for nurturing creativity. Even with great works coming out every now and then, many say that Japan still has to improve the nature of its anime industry.

Source: Sora News 24