Minako Fujiyoshi Talks Women in Anime Industry and the Hurdles they Face

Animators and other such workers in the anime industry face a demanding schedule and are overworked almost all the time. So, how are the female workers faring in an industry that is this strict?

Who can answer this question the best other than Minako Fujiyoshi, TMS Entertainment’s first female anime producer?

On an online “Women in Anime” panel hosted by Femme International Film Festival, Fujiyoshi shed some much-needed light on the women of the anime industry.

Although the number of women workers has increased, it is still tough to get a promotion regardless of gender. Women tend to lean more towards jobs like production assistants as they demand communication skills and empathy.

Factors like childbirth and marriage prevent many women from continuing at their workplace for a long time since they get replaced when they take an extended leave.

Fujiyoshi even clarifies that she might be in a producer’s position because she didn’t marry or give birth.

Her debut work as a producer was Megalobox, and her input has veered the anime in a different direction.

She helped shape the female characters from a woman’s point of view as the director and screenwriters were all male and might have grasped the concept from a male’s perspective.

She also had a stay in Joe’s redemption arc in Megalobox: Nomad as she waited until it seemed fit for him to receive forgiveness. She even called out herself as being “annoyingly strict” on the matter.

Fujiyoshi gives us hope that the work environment for women in the anime industry might be improving for the best. I hope that soon, the industry can even accommodate the necessary leaves that women need.

Her input in a major shonen series looks like she is already a step ahead to make the industry more diverse.

About Megalo Box

Megalo Box is a sincere homage to the iconic Ashita no Joe’s manga as well as anime series. Megalo Box was created to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the renowned and redefining boxing series – ‘Ashita no Joe.’

Chikara Sakuma launched a manga adaptation of the Megalo Box anime titled: ‘Megalo Box – Shukumei no Shoken.’ It was serialized in Kodansha’s Shonen Magazine Edge from February 2018 to August 2018 with a total of 2 volumes.

TMS Entertainment, with the help of 3xCube, developed the original anime series ‘Megalo Box,’ which was heavily inspired by ‘Ashita no Joe.’ The first episode aired on April 6, 2018.

Source: Femme International Film Festival

Sometimes we include links to online retail stores and/or online campaigns. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. For more information, go here.