News
Toei Animation Establishes Animator Training Program
posted on by Alex Mateo
Toei Animation announced on Wednesday that it is establishing "Toei Animation Sakuga Academy," an animator training program, in April 2023. It is a one-year, short-term intensive, and practical animator training program in which experienced animators guide up-and-coming trainees. Following the training and an examination, successful students will be hired as contract workers for Toei Animation. Recruitment is open.
Atsutoshi Umezawa (One Piece, Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection 'F', Sailor Moon Crystal, Digimon Tamers) is the program director. Lecturers are from Toei Animation and Studio Live, and they include Takeo Ide (Dragon Ball Z, One Piece, Dragon Ball Super), Hiroshi Koujina (Hunter × Hunter 2011, City Hunter '91), Nishiki Itaoka (Smile Precure!), Mai Ishii (Ushio & Tora, Hunter × Hunter 2011), and Mayuko Nakano (WWW.WAGNARIA!!, The Vampire Dies in No Time).
The program consists of three months of video training, followed by a nine-month animation or digital video course, depending on the aspirations of each student. The program will accept about 10 participants. Toei Animation will handle the tuition costs and will also offer 150,000 yen (about US$1.170) per month to students.
In previous years, Toei has trained animators in-house by hiring new graduates.
Sources: Toei Animation, Animation Business Journal (Tadashi Sudo)
