Nowadays, you might have come across multiple courses and tutorials on how to draw or produce an anime project. However, you may have also noticed most of them require only passive learning, meaning there is no teacher/director to follow up or review your work.
On the other hand, there might be too much focus on the theoretical differences between the animation produced in America, Europe, and Japan. But in practice, how does that apply? How much can that impact your storytelling?
Those answers can only come to us through experience. And that is what our instructors want you to have.
1) Great animators were born under the guidance of good and experienced teachers;
2) Information can only be retained when put into practice.
That is the basis of our program.
Learn by diving into an environment that simulates a Japanese animation studio, and have your assignments revised considering the demands of a real anime project.
A common advice for someone who's learning a language is to go to a country where that language is spoken and immerse yourself in that culture.
Animation is not different.
Artists don’t simply study drawing, painting, storyboard, or animation once in life and learn it forever; they have to practice an area of focus multiple times during their careers to reach a professional level.
This cyclical approach aims to nurture individuals to practice all these elements in a back-and-forth manner continually. Hence, they evolve with us, repeatedly working on something.
You learn by putting your skills into practice through the assignments. The instructors will also point out the weaker points of your deliveries so you can improve more efficiently.
Instead of passive learning and waiting for the instructors to teach you everything beforehand, we encourage the students to see their qualities and weak points during the exercises, so they can enter the live sessions full of questions and ready to learn.
Drawing 01
Structure of the human body vs anatomy of the human body
Head structure in perspective/Eyes - anime style
Realistic hands/Realistic feet
Hair - anime style
Painting 01
Color theory and digital painting variables
Color palette
Realistic painting
Expressive painting
Animation 01
Animation principles part 01 - Settings
Animation principles part 02 - Design
Animation principles part 03 - Movement
Extra principles
Storyboard 01
Sequential art
Visual storytelling
Turning a video into a storyboard
Turning a storyboard into a video
Drawing 02
Draping of clothes (dresses, loose shirts, skirts, hoodies etc)
Shadow - anime style
Forced perspective with foreshortening
Realistic Background - anime style
Painting 02
Painting of organic/natural objects - part 01
Painting of organic/natural objects - part 02
Painting of non-organic objects - part 01
Painting of non-organic objects - part 02
Animation 02
Hair animation
Wide clothing animation
Effects animation
Camera animation
Storyboard 02
Thumbnails
Beat board
Visual narrative typology
Finishing styles and levels
Drawing 03
Character sheet
Expression/posing sheet
Prop sheet
Background board
Painting 03
Style frame painting
Board painting
Character Design painting
Color script painting
Animation 03
Layout
Genga
Douga
Shiage
Storyboard 03
Ekonte - part 01
Ekonte - part 02
Animatic from Ekonte - part 01
Animatic from Ekonte - part 02
Given the customized approach of individual-focused corrections, all students will improve their craft at the fastest possible speed. So, ideally, by the end of the year, students who started close to basic levels will be, if not ready to work on professional, anime-style projects, very close to starting roles. Students who started with more advanced knowledge will be able to join professional projects.
These are some roles students could apply for after the program.
Story artists (E-konte)
Concept Artists (characters and backgrounds)
Animators (L.O. to douga)
Shiage Artists
Additionally, upon achieving a satisfactory performance and completing the program, students receive a certificate of completion. See more about it in the grading system and more details of the course in the Student Specifications for the Anime Training Program!
She holds a degree in Audiovisual Communication from Barcelona. In 2014, she moved to Japan and passed the JLPT N2. She later graduated with distinction from the 2D Animation department at Tokyo Design Academy, earning both honors and the Presidential Award for her work.
Since 2020, Mar has been running her Tokyo-based studio, Maru Exposito, leading a remote team creating anime-style videos for musicians, brands, and filmmakers worldwide. Her expertise lies in high-emotion character animation, storyboarding, and team management, bringing heartfelt storytelling and strong visual direction to every project.
Sakuga Kantoku (Animation Director)
He's a Brazilian animator who has worked with visual storytelling for over 15 years. His experience includes 5 feature films, short films, animation for games, TV series, etc. After working for years in Western productions, he decided to venture into the Japanese industry and is now an animation director and animator for anime productions.
From 2021 to 2024, he had an important role as head of animation of the first anime studio in Brazil, 555Comic, directing the TikTok animated series CRC Luna and Ame Kicks. Another important highlight of his career was the book Nausicaa and Bakhtin, in which he analysed Hayao Miyazaki's Kaze no Tani no Nausicaa from the perspective of the philosophy of Bakhtin's circle.
The program currently accommodates 2 classes with 10 spots each, and applications will be open until all slots are filled.
To get more details on how the program will operate and how to secure your place, click on the link below to access the enrollment page and fill out the Student Application form.
And don't forget to apply for the scholarship while filling in the form! One person from all applicants will be awarded the opportunity to attend all cycles for free. Just select the option on the Student Application form during enrollment.
Find the detailed program information in the Student Specifications for the Anime Training Program, Terms & Conditions, and Privacy Policy.