Stats on Japanese Seiyu Revealed
A Japanese language interview with Shomu Shirogane, president of the Winner Entertainment voice-acting management agency and a seiyu (voice actor) himself, reveals that Japan is presently home to about 1,600 working voice actors and 80,000 potential seiyu (people either applying for voice actor work, or taking voice acting training). Among Japan’s 1,600 professional voice actors, only 10% work as seiyu full time. Another 10% work in a variety of entertainment capacities including voice acting, acting, and other media talent roles. 80% of Japan’s working seiyu have supplemental jobs because voice acting alone doesn’t support them.
Source: Anime News Network
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Voice acting is perhaps a part of the greater problem with Japanese animation — business is always tough. It is somewhat unfortunate, but it shouldn’t be surprising. What would be surprising, would be if we had evidence that these trends were changing (and the industry’s infrastructure was strengthening itself).
Like a great deal of other professional, creative arenas; if you manage to support yourself wholly, then you’ve managed to combine an unbelievable skill with remarkable luck.