As Japan’s mecca for anime, video games, cosplay, Tokyo’s Akihabara has long been thought of as a hobbyist’s neighborhood. But as otaku continue to grow in both number and economic clout, it’s becoming apparent that the Akihabara lifestyle can include work as well as play.
Tokyo School of Anime, a trade school serving those interested in becoming anime industry professionals, has announced the development of a new department called Akiba Business World (“Akiba” being the trendy nickname for Akihabara). Whereas the school already has courses for would-be anime artists and musicians, the new department will offer instruction in one of six fields with a strong Akihabara connection.
For example, the Maid and Cosplay Business specialization will teach students the ins and outs of running a themed cafe, restaurant, or shop, including such necessary skills as advertising and human resource management.
The Dojinshi course will help independent comic creators understand effective ways of promoting and selling their works, along with the legalities of the often gray-area subsector of the manga industry.
Akiba Business World will offer two different idol-related programs. One is for would-be idols themselves, while the other is for aspiring idol unit producers.
The Anime Event Staff course is for those who want to learn how to effectively plan and administer those increasingly important fan gatherings, and cover challenges such as logistics, staffing, and coordinating with other anime industry professionals.
And finally, the Anime Producer specialization is just what it sounds like: a series of classes for those looking to occupy a central position in the production of anime and video game content.
Tokyo School of Anime plans to launch the Akiba Business World department in April of 2017, coinciding with the start of that academic year.
Related: Anime Business World Source: Inside Games via Jin
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Thunderbird2
Do the teachers dress like the young lady at the top? Always nice going to Akihabara... the maids handing out flyers don't know what to do when they see a foreigner like myself: some pretend I don't exist and hand the leaflet to the person coming up behind me, and there are a few who want to try out their English and do the cute cat maid thing while giving me a leaflet.
I love Akihabara... good places to buy models and antique toys too.
mitoguitarman
Good future in that
mukashiyokatta
"Akihabara professionals" -- not needed, not wanted.
Wc626
What a crock of BS. There was a Maid and Cosplay theme cafe in London about a year ago. I read that it failed miserably.
Those places are shady, girls often running away from home to work there. And going above and beyond their call of duty if the price is right.
Its pathetic.
pantherpg
@Liam Baka
Well, if you're serious, you can check their admission site out at http://www.anime.ac.jp/admission/eligibility.php. If you can read the instructions and you've got the money (both to pay tuition and to sponsor your student visa), you should be good to go. If not, you could apply for computer jobs through the links on this site that fit your true Japanese level, and live modestly/take evening Japanese classes while you work at one of those jobs to prepare to go to that school.
I will say that you'll want to have a specific, realistic goal in mind that the classes would help you work toward. Your money and time are valuable, and the years immediately following university are crucial for investing in yourself -- putting away money and building up experience that will let you do awesome things later.
Liam Baka
OMG I WANT TO STUDY THERE!!!!
heavy breathing intensifies
Seriously, seems like so much fun, and you could make your own cool or pervy anime later... ZOMG
Liam Baka
do they take foreign students? :3 I already have a university degree (almost anyway, in few months) in both Japanstudies and computer science (separate degrees) so technical and language skills should not be a problem ^^