Making
anime today is practically a risky sport, and for some studios the economic
situation is becoming unsustainable. To the concern of fans, the recent financial
reports of the production company ABC Animation and the
renowned studio Silver Link (both belonging to Asahi
Broadcasting Group Holdings) have just confirmed that the companies recorded
serious operating losses during the first quarter of the current fiscal year,
which runs from April to June 2026.
Breaking
down the numbers, the Silver Link landscape is the one that
sets off the most alarms within the anime industry. Despite having
worked on the production of the second season of Mission: Yozakura Family,
the studio reported sales of 301 million yen, which represents a brutal drop of
28.8 percent compared to the previous year. Although its operating loss of 109
million yen was slightly better than its past financial disaster, the company
has now accumulated three consecutive years of operating in the red and
carrying heavy debt on its shoulders. For its part, ABC Animation managed
to increase its sales to 434 million yen, but still ended the quarter losing
the not inconsiderable amount of 70 million yen.
For those
who have been following this mythical studio founded in 2007 for years, which
gave us unforgettable gems such as Non Non Biyori, Watamote and Strike
the Blood, seeing it in this situation is quite sad. This trend of
generating more sales but still losing money reflects a gigantic problem that
is suffocating mid-sized studios. Production schedules have become excessively
long and a shortage of experienced animators continues to increase the overall
costs to finish any series, trapping companies in a cycle where taking on more
projects doesn't magically translate into higher profits.
Seeing that
inflation and strict production schedules continue to financially suffocate
studios as beloved as Silver Link
