Could TV animation studios start outsourcing to Japan again?

[KaiserLemon]

In the 80s and 90s, animated series from the West often had animation services provided by Japanese studios. With probably the most famous example being TMS Entertainment, who was behind seminal anime like Lupin the Third and Akira, and also provided animation services to classic cartoons like Inspector Gadget, Batman: The Animated Series, and the original Animaniacs.

But then Japan's economy took a downturn and suddenly the cost of outsourcing to Japan rose dramatically. As a result, networks have resorted to outsourcing to Korea instead. Even though it was already rather common beforehand.

However, they have begun outsourcing to countries other than Korea in recent years such as Canada, France and Australia. There was even an episode of Steven Universe that was animated by a Japanese studio, and the guy who worked on it also did animation for the movie.

Which makes me wonder, could we see networks once again outsourcing their shows to Japanese studios? What if TMS starts animating shows on Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon?

 

[Zanneck]

In the 80s and 90s, animated series from the West often had animation services provided by Japanese studios. With probably the most famous example being TMS Entertainment, who was behind seminal anime like Lupin the Third and Akira, and also provided animation services to classic cartoons like Inspector Gadget, Batman: The Animated Series, and the original Animaniacs.

But then the Japan's economy took a downturn and suddenly the cost of outsourcing to Japan rose dramatically. As a result, networks have resorted to outsourcing to Korea instead. Even though it was already rather common beforehand.

However, they have begun outsourcing to countries other than Korea in recent years such as Canada, France and Australia. There was even an episode of Steven Universe that was animated by a Japanese studio, and the guy who worked on it also did animation for the movie.

Which makes me wonder, could we see networks once again outsourcing their shows to Japanese studios? What if TMS starts animating shows on Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon?

We need to stop outsourcing, either way. Make our own stuff at home, honestly enough. Too bad outsourcing to a nation that respects animation more than we do sounds like (un)ironic justice, in the end.

 

[Classic Speedy]

It's possible- as you said, there are select episodes of certain shows that still send them there, and DC still sometimes uses The Answer Studio for their DTV movies (recently, The Long Halloween).

The main issue, as you said, is cost. Also, it kind of defeats the purpose of sending something to Japan if they just further outsource it anyway. This is a dated example, but Sunrise did that with Street Fighter: The Animated Series - the bulk of the work was actually done by their Chinese branch, hence why it looked so janky and non-anime like.

 

[Petran Markou]

in some cases it can create utter chaos in production like in Bonkers that was outsourced to all 4 corners of the world.

 

[KaiserLemon]

in some cases it can create utter chaos in production like in Bonkers that was outsourced to all 4 corners of the world.

In that case they should just outsource to one country at a time. Like say Cartoon Network decides to hire Japanese studios for animation services for some of their shows they just stick exclusively to Japan rather than dividing things up between other countries like South Korea.

 

[GRPHX]

The reason why the animations in the 90s looked more quality and original, especially compared to today, was the outsourcing support received from Japanese studios. As someone who spent his childhood with series produced by SABAN and DIC, I could not get the taste of Japanese outsourced animations from any other outsourced animation.

As someone who totally dislikes anime and finds it monotonously boring, Japanese outsourcing would be the thing I would most want nowadays. I'm voting for this.

It's no coincidence that the 94 Spider-Man is the best Spider-Man franchise ever produced. Also Japanese outsourcing will save us from the 3d garbage

 

[Dylan James Yi]

And I say, none of the Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon animated shows/Nicktoons are animated by Toei Animation (in which they outsource for the animation service in the 80s and 90s, Police Academy: The Animated Series was a example which the said studio animated this).

 

[KaiserLemon]

And I say, none of the Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon animated shows/Nicktoons are animated by Toei Animation (in which they outsource for the animation service in the 80s and 90s, Police Academy: The Animated Series was a example which the said studio animated this).

Like I said, Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon should outsource animation to TMS Entertainment. Given their history of providing quality animation to shows like Animaniacs and Batman: The Animated Series.

Besides, Didn't Toei stop doing foreign animation by the end of the 80s?

 

[Dylan James Yi]

Besides, Didn't Toei stop doing foreign animation by the end of the 80s?

Possibly, yes or maybe.

 

[Classic Speedy]

...wait a minute. PCFamicom, is that you?

 

[Streaker Prower]

Which makes me wonder, could we see networks once again outsourcing their shows to Japanese studios? What if TMS starts animating shows on Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon?

Maybe there should be a Guest Animated Episode of SpongeBob, and one of the segments should be animated in the style of Japanese Anime by a Studio like TMS, Toei, or Sunrise

 

[harry580]

well, given dreamworks is now considering outsourcing animation to international studios, I say, bring it on!

 

[Dylan James Yi]

Maybe there's one Star Wars: Clone Wars 2003 series episode that was animated by Production I.G instead of Rough Draft Korea?

 

[ThePharaohZ]

Absolutely. Companies will always jump at the opportunity to save $$$.

 

[Streaker Prower]

Wait, I almost forgot... Star Wars Visions. Which is an American Animated Anthology series that has outsourced it's animation to a Bunch of Studios around the World, Including Japan. Those Studios that have worked on the show (Yes I'm Including both Seasons) are:

Kamikaze Douga (Japan), Studio Colorido (Japan), Geno Studio (Japan), Studios Trigger (Japan), Kinema Citrus (Japan), Production I.G (Japan), and Science SARU (Japan), with Trigger (Japan), Science SARU (Japan), El Guiri (Spain), Cartoon Saloon (Ireland), Punkrobot (Chile), Aardman (United Kingdom), Studio Mir (South Korea), Studio La Cachette (France), 88 Pictures (India), D'art Shtajio (Japan) along with Lucasfilm (United States), and Triggerfish (South Africa/Ireland). Oh, and they did tease that Studio Ghibli (Japan) was going to work on a Short, but I think they are saving that short for a Season 3.

I also heard that D'art Shtajio, which is also Japanese, worked on a short for The Boys Presents: Diabolical

 

[Pooky]

Absolutely. Companies will always jump at the opportunity to save $$$.

By the late 80s outsourcing to Japan wasn't especially cheap, that's why they stopped doing it in favour of other countries.

 

[Dylan James Yi]

I think Walt Disney Animation Japan does animation work on any shows and films (including the Winnie the Pooh films from DisneyToon Studios) until shutdown in 2004.

And for this, I hope if TMS Entertainment should have animated a Nicktoon...

 

[KaiserLemon]

By the late 80s outsourcing to Japan wasn't especially cheap, that's why they stopped doing it in favour of other countries.

Even Japan themselves have been outsourcing to South Korea for anime.

 

[PrevueLovesAnimeTV]

It's possible- as you said, there are select episodes of certain shows that still send them there, and DC still sometimes uses The Answer Studio for their DTV movies (recently, The Long Halloween).

The main issue, as you said, is cost. Also, it kind of defeats the purpose of sending something to Japan if they just further outsource it anyway. This is a dated example, but Sunrise did that with Street Fighter: The Animated Series - the bulk of the work was actually done by their Chinese branch, hence why it looked so janky and non-anime like.

The Answer took most of WDAJ staff that didn't go to Hollywood and/or Australia

 

[aegisrawks]

I love the idea, using the Japanese Animators experiencea and skill and how much they can do with less money, giving them LOTS of money so they show what they CAN do with more money and telling them to tell Western stories is a great idea

Gummi bears was a great show that had bouncy and lively animation.