As of the end of 2024, there are 3.769 million foreign residents living in Japan, the highest number ever. Despite this increase, some locals still have misunderstandings and concerns about their foreign neighbors. This series aims to explore the lives of foreigners in Japan by sharing their personal stories.
In the fourth installment, we learn about Pyopyo Yadana from Myanmar, who came to Japan to work in the anime industry. After attending a Japanese language school and an animation college, she faced loneliness, as 48 out of 60 classmates were Chinese. By the second year, the number of classmates dropped significantly due to the industry’s difficulty, leaving only about 20 students from an initial class of 60.
Pyopyo pursued a career in background art at an anime studio, discovering that it offered better work-life balance compared to the demanding job of animators. However, her first company was not as favorable as expected. Despite a modest starting salary of ¥150,000, she eventually moved to a more supportive company that offered higher pay and better working conditions.
Working in her new role, Pyopyo was entrusted with overseeing outsourced international work, highlighting the global influence in Japan’s anime industry. While challenging, Pyopyo remains passionate about background art, aspiring to become an art director.
She dreams of independently finishing an anime project to share on platforms like YouTube and hopes audiences appreciate the intricate, often overlooked backgrounds that set the scene for compelling stories. Despite the brief screen time these artworks receive, each one is meticulously crafted with great attention to detail.
by MagazineKey4532