November 4, 2005 -

iFilm Opens Animation Channel:
Online movie site iFilm has opened a dedicated anime channel. The iFilm Anime Channel currently has mainly short clips and trailers for shows like Kiddy Grade, Akira Kurosawa's Samurai 7 and a personal favorite, Lupin III. James Reitano of iFilm told the Anime News Network that the online movie site hopes to build a much broader selection of programs in the future. iFilm is one of the leading online distributors of short films and this, combined with the recent launch of an online stream of Nippon TV (see last week's Anime Report) could be big steps towards seeing more anime distributed online, getting newer anime to the fans a lot sooner than before.

3 New Short Films by Miyazaki to Premiere at Gibli Museums:
The Gibli Museums announced yesterday that 3 new short films created by legendary anime director Hayao Miyazaki will be screened at the museum starting on January 3rd, 2006.

A detailed list of screening dates has not yet been released but the film included will be:

Yadosagashi (Looking for a Home): A 12-minute original story, written and directed by Miyazaki.

Hoshi wo Katta Hi (The Day I Cropped a Star): A 16 minute movie that is based on an original story by Naohisa Inoue, an artist that contributed to the film Whisper of the Heart. The film takes place in the world of Iblard, a creation of Inoue's. The film will be written and directed by Miyazaki.

Mizugumo Monmon (Water Spider Monmon): The short film will be written and directed by Miyazaki from an original concept.

Japanese Animators Paid Significantly Less That US Counterparts:
According to our friends at the Anime News Network, The Daily Yomiuri has recently completed a poll that sought to discover the differences in pay, work conditions and other areas of interest for Japanese and US animators. Only 83 Japanese animators replied and the results weren't surprising but still showed a marked difference in conditions between the two countries. Nearly half of the Japanese animators felt they weren't paid enough and 90% felt that their pension and benefit plans were insufficient. While most employees, if asked, would tend to think they were underpaid, the numbers would seem to bear out these complaints. Many animators only make around $8,500 (US) per year. As a comparison, the average US animator makes around $55,000, according to the website Salary.com. Anime News Network reported that graduates of the Art Institute of California make an average of $31,000 per year

Compared to the storyboard artists, the animators are in fat city. Many storyboard artists are paid on a "per frame" basis, making an average of $1.60 per frame. The firm that conducted the study in Japan is calling for changes in how anime artists are treated and compensated.

Anime Releases - November 8, 2005:
Mecha, fantasy and lots of action are coming your way on Tuesday. Some release dates are subject to change.

Review Roundup:

Stay tuned next week for more news, new releases and reviews of new anime DVDs!

- KJB