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To explain, I want to know whether it is more efficient to produce anime or
manga, and why.

Anime:

  * Needs to be made frame by frame
  * need people to record voice.

Manga:

  * Needs lots of paper
  * has to be printed.

By more efficient, I mean which one has more profit and takes less time to
make.


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question
anime-production manga-production
Is anime production more efficient than manga production?


In term of human resources as well as production costs, manga is thousands of
times more efficient than anime.

The personnel involved in a manga production (the chain is very little):

  * Mangaka
  * 4 or 5 assistants at best
  * Graphic design staff (logos, covers, general branding of a series is often externalized)
  * Series editor
  * Chief editor
  * Printing staff
  * Distribution staff

And the materials needed is minimal, since the drawing stuff, while not cheap,
is lots of times cheaper than all the needs to make an anime.

In the anime production the staff needed is lots of times that amount, since
the editors (here named "producers") and distribution staff are part of large
committees, and the production staff (director, animation staff) is very
large, too. So, only in staff and time the costs are way bigger, and the
distribution and marketing expenses are significative.

So, in the end, I think that manga is way more efficient than anime.


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A production is only as productive as the people that make it up.

Manga production happens at a much smaller scale compared to [anime
production](http://washiblog.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/anime-production-
detailed-guide-to-how-anime-is-made-and-the-talent-behind-it/).

For anime production, on top of publisher front costs, you have to get your
staff, sponsors, script, character/set designers, broadcasting rights, and
advertising ready before the production even starts.

Typically only half the budget allocated to an anime is used by the studio in
charge.

Manga production can vary greatly. Some authors are interested in creative
input from their assistants, while others only ask them to assist. Some
artists like do to as much of the work themselves as possible, others have
their assistants fill in most of the page while the artist only draws the
"name" (a kind of storyboard for manga) and main characters.

Anime are usually created and broadcast at a loss while profits are made from
DVD/Blu-ray and merchandising sales. Most mangas are produced at a loss, their
viability access by their rank in their parent magazine's reader survey polls
and takubon (volume) sales.

Generally, it takes around [8,000,000 to 10,000,000
yen](http://d.hatena.ne.jp/makaronisan/20060719/1153219520) to make a "30
minute" episode anime, while it takes only about 2,000,000 yen to produce a
weekly serialization, because it typically takes 2 months for a tankoubon can
be compiled, at a 100-page monthly production rate.

On top of that you have to factor in rent for the studio, and payroll (pay +
pensions) for that staff which typically is composed of 1 chief-assistant + 2
or 3 assistants + 1 background artist, typically a group of 4 to 5 people.
Different authors/artist get different rates depending on the publisher and
the experience/fame of the author/artist.

Most animators are [contract employees to a production
studio](http://motoz5.cocolog-nifty.com/animator/2006/12/post_41df.html).
Therefore they do not get benefits, pensions, or vacations. Because many
productions employ so many animators for their tween animations it can be hard
to keeps track of who's who and doing what.

A well managed small anime production can sometimes be more efficient than a
large high budget manga serialization, but the opposite can be true as well.
It usually comes down to who is an change and how the work trickles down.


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