The COVID-19 pandemic had a sudden and substantial impact on every sector. The global health crisis and the uncertainty resulting from it profoundly affected organizations’ operations and it is finally the turn of the animanga industry in Japan.

Anime fans may need to brace themselves for a few of their favorite shows to face delays as it seems there may be a COVID-19 outbreak affecting several studios.

“Slayers” director Takashi Watanabe stated on Twitter on August 17, that at least one animation studio has gone on lockdown due to a COVID cluster, however, the studio is question issued an “implicit gag order”, requesting whoever knows about the closure of the Studio to not speak publicly about the issue.

暗黙の箝口令があるがワシは少なくとも一社でクラスターが発生しスタジオ閉鎖になったという話を聞いている。他にも出ているはずだが情報は流れない。自分自身いつ濃厚接触者になるかわからない。危険水域。
アニメ業界はなぜ業務停止しない?
進行やデスククラスでは決められないのはわかっているが。

— 渡部高志 (@TkashiWatanabe) August 17, 2021

Watanabe added that he thought the information should have been made available and that they are treading through “dangerous waters” to not disclose the outbreak. He is worried about himself for when he’s could contract the virus due to contact with the studio’s employees.

アニメ就労者からも死者が続出しないとわからないのか。
個人事業主が多いから自己責任というわけか?
会社は無関係なのか。

— 渡部高志 (@TkashiWatanabe) August 17, 2021

He continued to frustratedly complain, quoting the tweet above:

“Will they not understand unless animation workers start dying one after another? Or is it the workers’ responsibility because they’re often freelancers? Is the company itself not responsible?”

クラスターかは知らんけどあっちこっちのスタジオでコロナ陽性者出てる話しとかスタジオ閉鎖になってる話しは聴くよね…とりあえず五社くらい知ってるけど絶対それ以外もあると思うわ

— にょんにょん (@yamaaan222) August 18, 2021

Meanwhile, an animator @yamaaan222 reported that they know about “five different studios” have closed due to infections, without disclosing the names. They pondered if these closures are due to Covid clusters forming in the industry or not.

デザイン業界もそうなんじゃないかな。自分も知ってる会社２つぐらいあるし。 https://t.co/B1BcxxqHnx

— 仮面ライダー英鬼 (@hideono4000gt) August 18, 2021

On Wednesday, a designer quoted Watanabe’s tweet saying that there are “two companies” that he knows of that are doing the same thing, making it less of an anime industry issue and more of a widespread one throughout businesses in Japan.

source: Twitter via ANN