Interview with Animator Ida Bagus Yoga (guzzu): “I Won’t Recommend Indonesian Animator to Work in Japan”

What are the prospects for Indonesian animators to work abroad, especially Japan?

I strongly do not recommend Indonesian animators to insist on working in Japan. Why? First, the cost of living is expensive in Tokyo (unless you are from an affluent family OR can work remotely with a studio in the west, America or Europe, that allows you to have another source of income, and you can also get benefits from the exchange rate). Second, if you are not fluent in Japanese, you will have difficulty working there and will likely disappoint your boss. Third, the animator’s salary is very little compared to the western industry, you have to think about the cost of living that you will spend every day so you have enough money for food and shelter.

So if you want to be a successful animator in Japan, you have to continue working and honing your Japanese there. And if you see certain anime that shows overworking in the anime industry, that’s not a fantasy. That is a very, very common problem in Japan. Many young animators die from overwork and many neglect their health. Maybe you are thinking “Ah, maybe guzzu is just scaring me, I am certain I can adapt.” Yes, you could be right, but you also have to calculate all the risks if you want to become an animator there.

Another alternative if you want to work in the Japanese industry is you can apply for work or intern at OLM Malaysia. If I remember correctly, they produce inbetweens and do cleaning-up of rough sketch animations from animators in Japan. Maybe I am too cautious because I have never worked in Japan myself, but I often hear experiences, input, and suggestions from my friends who work in Japan. The things they told me made me not sure if I could live there. So this depends on each individual and their own ability to survive. I only provide insights about the many things you have to prepare before you make your decision, and you can’t get everything instantly.

Other than that, working abroad (besides Japan) has more benefits, such as in France (for example Studio La Cachette, who made KAIROS and episodes in Love, Death & Robots that aired on Netflix) that have a workflow that is more humane than in Japan. The difference is that animators are treated like humans who have families and people they love. Whereas in Japan, many studios treat their animators like money-making machines. It’s more disciplined and always on-time, but at the risk of sacrificing quality. Whereas at studios such as Studio La Cachette, they value the time of th animators and quality discipline to make animations that always move with stable quality.

NOT ALL studios in Japan are bad. There are several studios that you can make reference for in the future. This is only my opinion. The following are studios that I think are good, consistent and competent: KyoAni, ScienceSaru, Studio Colorido, Studio 4c, DURIAN Inc., Studio WIT, and so on (I didn’t mention Studio Ghibli because have a unique work culture compared to mainstream anime industry).

What are needed for Indonesian animators (both internal and external factors) to be involved in making anime?

Language, SKILL, and QUALITY of work. They will not accept animators who cannot draw on-model characters, and most importantly, at a minimum, you must have experience in the animation industry for about 5 to 7 years. If you already have those years of experience and you are still not accepted, maybe you are not yet competent in their standards.

Actually, there have been many other animators in Indonesia that have sprung up and become known on the internet, but not many are widely known by fans. In your opinion, who are other Indonesian animators who need to get a spotlight so that they will be better known by the public?

Yes, but it’s still FEW that have quality more or less above the standard. Animators or friends who, in my opinion, deserve a spotlight and reach the expectations of these standards are Husain Untoro, Dicky Bayu Sadewo, Muhammad Rahim Rizky (nasiijo), Jalu Trangga Laksita (Nyongjalu), Irfan Ayari, Zuhdi Bari Daffa, Anthony Liu (Road Sign), Yoga Wahyu Sadewo, Dida Kharisma and Naufal Satria Gunawan.

Have you watched any anime or film lately? Which do you think have good animation and what is the reason behind it?

I rarely watch anime. I usually learn animation from clips that uploaded to Sakugabooru. The last time I watched a film is on Netflix and it was Love, Death & Robots. There are many erotic scenes, gore, and there are some philosophical elements which I find very interesting. The animation is all good too. Recommended if you are over 18 and like animated works other than anime, hahaha.

Speaking of Sakugabooru, I also see you quite active in the sakuga community. How does this affect your work?

I have met new faces, new friends, and I could learn more. Sometimes, many friends share materials such as in Bahi JD interviews about his experience as an animator in anime.

What is your thought about the current Sakuga community?

I’m not really active in that community right now. For now, I want to focus on western styles and contribute to their projects there. Give everyone a turn, hehe.

In an interview with Sakugabooru, you mentioned Yutaka Nakamura as an inspiration. What do you really like about him?

He (Yutaka Nakamura, 51) is a veteran “sakuga” animator whose animation is considered very interesting in the eyes of many people. He can animate movements with great “impact” and the viewers can easily feel it. It is like when you are riding a roller-coaster, by the time the train is up, you can feel great anticipation before sliding down. These feelings more or less describe Yutaka Nakamura’s animation style.

Aside from Yutaka Nakamura, there are Mitsuo Iso, Hiroyuki Okiura, Nakaya Onsen, Norimitsu Suzuki as well as some Japanese animators who inspired me.

One of Nakamura’s cuts in My Hero Academia (© Kohei Horikoshi / Shueisha . My Hero Academia Production Committee)

Among the general anime fans themselves, the topic of sakuga is actually not much talked about. Do you think other fans should be more aware of this topic? Why?

Not really. People have their own opinions and I have a selective perception of animation, I’m sure others will agree with this. Sakuga is not a very top-of-the-world topic.

For myself, one of the difficulties in getting information about sakuga is how the information resources are more available in Japanese. Do you have suggestions about this?

If you want to understand Japanese, learn Japanese. Many sakuga journalists are eager about learning Japanese so that they can communicate with industry people directly, and write articles about the situations and conditions there.

But if you want to find out more, you might be able to check the Sakugabooru website, Sakugablog, kVin’s Twitter account, Disgaeamad, and other sakuga activists. Then there are also YouTube channels like Canipa Effect and AnimeAjay

Finally, do you want to say something to the readers, especially those who want to work as animators in Japan?

Find information and take risks so that you get experience, both good and bad. Experience is very important in your career path in any industry. Don’t look down on others, don’t expect too high, don’t be lazy, don’t be too relaxed in your comfort zone, don’t expect it to be instantaneous, and most importantly, being an animator will make you frustrated and stressed. The reason is that an animator uses their right brain or creativity. You will need lots of entertainment and I recommend watching films often, to be inspired by other artists. It’s good for an animator or artist to watch films or to play games (with good intention), to look for inspiration from anywhere, as long as you don’t use that as a reason to be lazy and waste your time. An animator is an artist, they have a wide imagination, and artists tend to be introverted/lonely and sensitive. There is nothing wrong if people often judge you like that. You are you, don’t listen to what people say because all humans are unique. If you are stressed and animation frustrates you, maybe being an animator is not the right choice for you. There is no harm in trying out another profession.

Making animation must be carried out in fun and excitement, find healthy communities and support each other to give input. If you don’t find the community, just be independent and study hard. Hard work will have results, and the results will make you happy and will make yourself satisfied. Your work will also be remembered until you die, your work is something you left in this world to be remembered by many people.

Good luck, and have fun.

The Indonesian Anime Times | Interview and text by Dany Muhammad from KAORI Newsline | Clip Source: YouTube, Twitter, dan Sakugabooru | Translated by Keinda D. Adilia