A life less animated: The Los Angeles Times (registration required) looks at life for anime illustrators in Japan, where starting pay can be less than $500 a month:

"Despite the huge popularity of the industry and its growing cachet internationally, even big studios typically pay recruits between $1,200 and $1,800 a month. Their counterparts in Tokyo office jobs earn up to twice as much, including benefits such as subsidized accommodation and train passes. Even convenience-store work pays $8 an hour."