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Manufacturing-related workers (except painters, paint and signboard production)

How to become an Animator

Also called: Digital painter, In-between animator

Draws pictures and brings images to life with movement, as part of the team effort of making animation.

How to become one

No particular education or qualification is required to start. People usually graduate from a senmon gakko (vocational college) that trains animators, and then either join an animation studio as a permanent employee or work freelance under contract to an animation studio. The industry has long been known for a high share of freelancers, but in recent years studios have put more effort into training animators and the number of permanent staff is growing. Experienced people who can contribute straight away are often hired mid-career, and studios sometimes offer work through social media. When looking for work you need a portfolio, a collection of your own work, and almost always you send it to animation studios to be reviewed. Rather than one perfect piece drawn over a long time, it is better to show as many rough sketches drawn quickly, illustrations with movement, and illustrations using perspective to show depth and three dimensions as possible. In an animator's career, newcomers usually start as in-between animators, who add movement between key drawings. After sharpening skills such as the drawing speed to finish many frames and basic drawing ability, you either move on to in-between checking, the final check in the drawing process, or become a key animator. Key animators draw the key cuts at the heart of a work and play an important role in setting its mood and style. From those who have fully developed their skills as in-between and key animation specialists, some become animation directors, who oversee the whole drawing process. Some key animators also become character designers. Character designers not only express the world of the work as the producer and director imagine it, but can also create licensed illustrations for merchandise, posters, and TV and magazine features. Animation directors and character designers are the faces of a work, and many animators aim for these roles. After joining, it is said to be important to watch lots of live-action films. Thinking about how to turn realistic three-dimensional live-action images into 2D animation helps you develop new ways of expressing things. As for aptitude, it goes without saying that you should love animation, but you also need the drawing skill to observe people and nature closely and express them, as well as creativity, the ability to compose a work, and drawing ability. The work involves long stretches of repetitive tasks, so a persistent nature and a fair amount of physical strength are also needed, but it is a hugely rewarding job, making things that move viewers and sometimes support them in life or become lifelong memories.

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Questions people ask

How do I become an Animator?

No particular education or qualification is required to start. People usually graduate from a senmon gakko (vocational college) that trains animators, and then either join an animation studio as a permanent employee or work freelance under contract to an animation studio. The industry has long been known for a high share of freelancers, but in recent years studios have put more effort into training animators and the number of permanent staff is growing. Experienced people who can contribute straight away are often hired mid-career, and studios sometimes offer work through social media. When looking for work you need a portfolio, a collection of your own work, and almost always you send it to animation studios to be reviewed. Rather than one perfect piece drawn over a long time, it is better to show as many rough sketches drawn quickly, illustrations with movement, and illustrations using perspective to show depth and three dimensions as possible. In an animator's career, newcomers usually start as in-between animators, who add movement between key drawings. After sharpening skills such as the drawing speed to finish many frames and basic drawing ability, you either move on to in-between checking, the final check in the drawing process, or become a key animator. Key animators draw the key cuts at the heart of a work and play an important role in setting its mood and style. From those who have fully developed their skills as in-between and key animation specialists, some become animation directors, who oversee the whole drawing process. Some key animators also become character designers. Character designers not only express the world of the work as the producer and director imagine it, but can also create licensed illustrations for merchandise, posters, and TV and magazine features. Animation directors and character designers are the faces of a work, and many animators aim for these roles. After joining, it is said to be important to watch lots of live-action films. Thinking about how to turn realistic three-dimensional live-action images into 2D animation helps you develop new ways of expressing things. As for aptitude, it goes without saying that you should love animation, but you also need the drawing skill to observe people and nature closely and express them, as well as creativity, the ability to compose a work, and drawing ability. The work involves long stretches of repetitive tasks, so a persistent nature and a fair amount of physical strength are also needed, but it is a hugely rewarding job, making things that move viewers and sometimes support them in life or become lifelong memories.

How much does an Animator earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,708,500 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Drafting and other production-related workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become an Animator?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 50% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of an Animator?

Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026