Animation Schools in Japan

If you're looking for training in Japanese style animation or a solid education in media arts, there are several schools to choose from in Japan.

History

In the early part of the 20th century, Japanese animators began creating short, animated folk tales. The successful Toei Animation Company of Japan was formed in the 1950s, when many cartoon films were developed. Japanese animated films eventually arrived in American theaters, where they enjoyed modest popularity. As technology improved, so did animation techniques. Some of the most popular animation of the late 20th Century came from Japan, including Mario Brothers, Pokemon, anime and manga, giving rise to a generation of animators and schools to train them.

Function

Of the many schools for animation in Japan, the ones listed here are a few of the largest. Each has an English website in addition to the Japanese version.

Tokyo Design Academy

Established in 1966, the Tokyo Design Academy (TDA) is located in Tokyo, and specializes in teaching its animators the art of design, in addition to nurturing their creative abilities. They offer a program for initiating international students to work-life in Japan. This school has two year programs in design, comics, animation and illustration.

Digital Hollywood University

Digital Hollywood University was founded in 1994 and focuses solely on digital content. It's sponsored by major corporations such as Hitachi and Kansai Telecasting Corporation. They have branches in six cities: Tokyo, Yokohama, Osaka, Kyoto, Sapporo and Fukuoka offer four year degrees in digital arts.

Nihon Kogakuin College

If you're interested in manga and anime, Nihon Kogakuin College might be the best choice for you. The school has several campuses throughout Japan; the downtown Tokyo school specializes in anime and manga but also teaches design, illustration and graphics.

Considerations

For sheer abundance of jobs, Japan is a good place for animators to work; around 60 percent of their media output is animated. In the United States, media output in animated form is significantly lower than that. The Japanese also have much more animated content for both children and adults, unlike the United States where most of the animation is for children.

Expert Insight

If you plan to attend school in Japan as an international student, visit the country at least once. The culture is very different from American culture. Tokyo especially is extremely crowded.

In Japan, animation is thought of as a trade. Many beginning animators work at a studio or as an apprentice in place of college training.

significance

Consider the expense of living in Japan, taking into account the value of the U.S. dollar in the Japanese market. Take classes in Japanese, as knowledge of the language can only enrich your experiences there.

Resources

• Students from Abroad Talk about Studying in Japan
• Anime Instructor Shares Thoughts
• animation school database