Updated at: 14-03-2023 - By: Eden Wise

Overview

Are you thinking about going to school for animation design? If you’re interested in becoming a creator of one of the world’s fastest-growing arts, then it’s in your best interest to research the top animation schools in Japan.

When it comes to cutting-edge research and development, Japan is unrivaled. Many of the technologies and machines we use every day were manufactured in this country. They are not boring despite the fact that they are exceptionally bright and cultured. The arts produced in Japan are some of the world’s brightest and most enjoyable.

We spent a lot of time as kids watching anime like Dragon Ball Z and Naruto. As you probably already know, the Japanese are responsible for these exciting, entertaining, and lively cartoons. It is intrinsic to Japanese culture, with many works discussing aspects of Japanese mythology and religion.

It’s a fascinating style of art that’s making a name for itself right now in every corner of the globe. A large number of people, particularly young people, have taken an interest in pursuing careers as animators and manga illustrators because of the numerous prospects available to them in the industry. Because of this demand, many academic institutions in Japan and elsewhere have included it in their curricula.

That is exactly right. A bachelor’s degree in animation is available in the country where it all began, Japan, and where the culture is at its most genuine and pure. This is one of the highest paying fields, and it is also rapidly expanding. If you’re good at art or have a genuine interest in animation, you shouldn’t be afraid to practice and get better at it.

Instead, you should look for a reputable institution to hone your abilities, expand your network, and interact with professionals in the field. This article focuses on the top animation schools in Japan, but it is worth noting that there are likely to be similar programs in other countries as well.

If you want to study animation at the university level, Japan is a good option. First of all, since this is its original home, the people and resources available to teach it to you are bound to be superior. In addition, the cost of higher education in Japan is significantly lower for international students than in most other countries.

Best Animation Schools In Japan

Best animation schools in japan

Tokyo Designer School (Toukyou Dezaina Gakuin)

Tokyo Designer School (Toukyou Dezaina Gakuin)

The Suragadai Chiyoda-ku Tokyo campus of what is widely regarded as one of the world’s top animation schools. In order to meet the needs of businesses, the school offers instruction in a wide variety of design specializations. The Tokyo Designers’ School has made significant contributions to the field over the years, earning it widespread recognition and renown. The school offers a wide variety of extracurricular activities for students to join, and there are also many opportunities for students to work together and expand their knowledge.

Toei Animation Institute (Toei Animeshyon Kenkyuujyou) 

Located in the Tokyo neighborhood of Surugadai Kanda Chiyoda-ku, Toei is widely regarded as one of the country’s top animation schools. The institute is well-known for its innovative capabilities and cutting-edge approaches to generating comparable sales. Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, Slam Dunk, and dozens of other popular anime series are all produced by the Toei company, which also owns the institute.

Yoyogi Animation School (Yoyogi Animeshon Gakuin)

This anime school in Japan is widely regarded as one of the world’s finest educational institutions, specializing in animation and visual arts.

Yoyogi Animation School’s stellar reputation naturally results in a stringent admissions process. Candidates should have native-level Japanese language skills.

YAI accepts qualified applicants of any gender, race, nationality, or ethnicity; however, the school does reserve the right to reject applications from people with physical disabilities that could be barriers to employment.

Yoyogi Animation Academy has 12 locations in major Japanese cities and is home to 860 animation majors. Each university has its own character and atmosphere. The installed courses also vary.

Toei Animation Institute (Toei Animeshyon Kenkyuujyou)

Toei Animation Institute (Toei Animeshyon Kenkyuujyou)

The Toei Animation Institute is widely regarded as one of Japan’s top animation schools. The Japanese animation industry owes a great deal to Toei Animation. But the animation school has unparalleled sales and development power alongside its world-class production capacity. When it comes to animation schools in Japan, Toei is widely considered to have the best reputation.

Toei owns the institute and has produced many popular anime and manga, such as Sally the Witch, Gegege no Kitaro, Mazinger Z, Galaxy Express 999, Dr. Slump, Dragon Ball, Saint Seiya, Sailor Moon, Slam Dunk, Digimon, One Piece, and the Precure series.

Kyoto Seika University

Kyoto Seika University is a top pick for international students looking to study animation in Japan. The Kyoto Seika University in Iwakura, Kyoto, Japan is a private institution of higher education. The school began operations in 1968 and received its charter in 1979.

The school is well-known for its manga and anime departments and its involvement in the education and preparation of manga artists of the future. In addition to its Graduate Schools, SEIKA is home to the Departments of Art, Design, Manga, Popular Culture, and the Humanities.

This university is widely considered to be among the top animation programs worldwide. Approximately 3,425 undergraduates are enrolled annually at a cost of 1.75 million JPY in tuition.

College credit can be earned toward a variety of degrees at KSU, including bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels in a variety of disciplines. The school currently holds a ranking of 165 in Japan and 4264 globally.

Japan Manga Institute (Nihon Manga Gakuin)

If you’re looking for a top-notch animation school in Japan, look no further than Nihon Kougakuin. A student can choose from a wide variety of majors thanks to the university’s seven academic faculties and more than thirty-five academic departments.

Students have the ideal mix of study time and free time thanks to the school’s rigorous curriculum. This means that you can take full advantage of living in Japan while still making substantial academic progress.

The price of attending the Japan Manga Institute is between 450,000 and 1,500,000.

The first intake deadline for student visas in all cities is October 4th. There are seven colleges at the university: the College of Creators; the College of Design; the College of Music; the College of Information Technology; the College of Technology; the College of Health Care Professions; and the College of Sports. If you’re looking to satisfy your mind, you’ve come to the right place.

Amusement Media School Sougou Gakuin

One of the best animation schools in Japan is Amusement Media School Sougou Gakuin. Game Designing, Animation Design, Character Design, Novels, Manga Illustration, and Voice Acting are just some of the well-respected specializations offered by the institution. The institution welcomes high school students, college grads, and working professionals to enroll in their courses.

Tokyo Media Academy (Tokyo Anime Seiyu Senmon School) 

The Tokyo Media Academy, found in the Shibuya-ku district of Tokyo, has a reputation for being a warm and welcoming learning environment. The goal of the institution is to help students realize their potential and achieve their goals. Roughly 155 students are accepted each year to take part in the academy’s academic programming. The school has a stellar reputation for preparing its students for the challenges of the voice-over industry.

Tokyo Designer Gakuin

Tokyo Designer Gakuin

Tokyo Designer School is the next Japanese animation school on our list. Graphic Design, Illustration, Visual Image Design, Comic Illustration, Manga, Product Design, Architecture Design, and Figure Design are just some of the other areas of study available at this specialized college.

Sapporo College of Anime

Including Sapporo College of Anime on our list of the best animation schools in Japan would be a disservice to the other institutions on that list.

The Sapporo College of Anime is widely regarded as the best animation school in Japan, drawing students from all over the world to its prestigious programs.

High school graduation requirements are the minimum requirement for enrollment here. There are three departments in total at this educational institution: Digital Technology, Creative Design, and the General Entertainment Department.

College of International Design (Kokusai Dezainkarejji)

The College of International Design is the next on our list of the best animation schools in Japan.

College of International Design is widely recognized as a top animation school in Japan due to its rigorous and consistent approach to animation education.

However, this is one of the manga schools in Japan that provides a full-time, three-year program in addition to a part-time, two-year program.

TDG not only provides specialized education through 11 departments that cover all elements of design, but also engages in collaborative activities outside of the classroom.

Tokyo Animation School  (Toukyou Animeta Gakuin)

Tokyo Animation School is a top choice for aspiring Japanese animators, voice actors, and cartoonists.

However, the minimum academic requirement for enrollment at this Japanese anima school is the completion of high school.

This Japanese animation school offers relatively inexpensive programs (typically two to three years in length) to students who are committed to pursuing a career in animation.

Aoba-Japan International School

Aoba-Japan International School

Two locations in Tokyo, Nerima and Meguro, house this international institution of higher education. The address of the Hikarigaoka Campus is 7-5-1 Hikarigaoka, Nerima-Ku.

As a result, the students at Aoba-Japan International School (A-JIS) develop into world-changing leaders.

With locations in both Meguro and Hikarigaoka, Tokyo is home to four different campuses.

However, A-JIS is happy to have international students from kindergarten through 12th grade and beyond.

A-JI offers assistance, creativity, and civic duty.

Further, the faculty and staff at Aoba-Japan International School are committed to helping each student develop into a globally conscious, academically-focused, and professionally-motivated individual who can thrive in a dynamic and competitive global community.

The school’s international curriculum is designed to foster future business leaders, innovators, communicators, risk-takers, and problem-solvers on a global scale.

Kodansha Culture Center

Laughter and Joy Broadcasting College. Street Address: 1-15-12 Toranomon Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan 105 Was founded as a corporation in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan in 1993.

It’s a multimedia institution with course structures for aspiring video game designers, manga artists, writers, essayists, animators, computer and graphic artists, voice actors, and more.

The AMG Entertainment Group, of which it is a part, owns it.

Osaka Animation School

Address: 3 Chome-29-18 Tarumicho, Suita, Osaka 564-0062 is where you’ll find the animation school. It also ranks high as one of Japan’s best animation schools.

The Animation program at this university is designed to train students for entry-level positions in the field, such as Inbetweeners who animate characters by splicing together multiple drawings to create fluid motion or Animation Supervisors who oversee the entire filmmaking process.

A high school diploma is necessary for admission, and the institution is open for more than 850 hours per year.

Fukuoka College Of Design

The Kyushu Design Institute, located in Fukuoka, Japan, was established in April 1968 and is recognized as one of Japan’s top national universities. Architecture, Industrial Design, Visual Communication Design, Acoustic Design, and Art and Information Design are all studied together at this university.

Kyushu University’s Graduate School of Design opened in October 2003 as a replacement for the previous Kyushu Design Institute. Store Design, Computer Graphics Animation, Illustration and Character Design, Graphic Design, Furniture Design, and Design Editing are just a few of the available courses.

Tokyo Seiyu Senmon Anime School

Tokyo Media Academy, also known as the Tokyo seiyu senmon anime school. This institution provides voice actors with animation classes that can last as long as two years. A total of 155 new students enroll at the school every year.

Vocal production, pronunciation, breathing exercises, and tuning are all covered in the available classes. Acting with the voice: portrayal, performance Expressive: able to convey a wide range of feelings; used in game design, computer-generated animation, multimedia production, soap opera writing, comics, and manga.

In 1993, in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, Sougou Gakuin Entertainment Media School opened for business. This animation school not only trains artists like game designers and mangaka but also writers, essayists, animators, CG artists, and voice actors.

AMG Entertainment Group owns and operates the educational institution. Voice Acting, Game Creator, Computer Graphics Animation, Multimedia Creator, Soap Operas, Animator, Manga, and Comics are just some of the courses available.

FAQs

What is Animation?

Wikipedia defines animation as a technique for creating the illusion of motion in still images.

Hand-drawn or painted images on sheets of transparent celluloid are the basis of classic animation, which is then photographed and shown as moving pictures.

How to Apply for Animation Schools in Japan?

Because of the recent pandemic, enrollment for animation classes in Japanese universities has been suspended. To apply to a school, however, all you need to do is create an account on its website, fill out the necessary fields, pay the application fee, and wait for a response. It’s important for students to know that Japanese language proficiency is a requirement at some Japanese universities.

How to Get Scholarship for Animation in Japan?

It is up to the individual Japanese animation school you’re interested in studying at to decide if they provide financial aid to incoming students. You can earn a degree in animation in Japan without having to pay full tuition if you qualify for one of the many scholarships offered by the country’s universities and colleges to international students.

To find out if a school you are interested in applying to offers scholarships, all you have to do is get in touch with the admissions office or visit the school’s website. Make sure you qualify for any scholarships there may be before applying.

Conclusion

I hope that you’ve found the best animation schools in Japan to be helpful in your pursuit of a career in animation, voice acting, or manga illustration. As we can see from the prevalence of manga and anime, this is a fascinating and entertaining industry; if you have a knack for or interest in it, you should definitely give it some more thought.