Escape Students Visit "The Answer" Studio in Tokyo

Escape Studios' animators visit The Answer Studio

Many thanks to our hosts at The Answer Studio in Tokyo who welcomed a small group of Escape Studios' animation students to visit their animation studio in Tokyo last week. 

The Answer Studio is the successor studio to Walt Disney Animation Japan, headed by former Disney Japan president Motoyoshi Tokunaga.

Tokyo Study Tour

An animator at work at The Answer Studio

This past week twenty one Escape Studios' animation students were studying in Tokyo, learning about manga, anime and Japanese animation techniques.  

Our visit to The Answer Studio was a part of this immersive experience into the world of Japanese animation.

For me personally, it was a huge pleasure to meet up with some of my old colleagues, including former Disney Japan president Motoyoshi Tokunaga and producer Kiso Yukari, both of whom I worked with on Disney Animation's Piglet's Big Movie back in 2002.

The Answer

Animation desks at The Answer Studio

The Answer Studio is located in Ogikubo in the western suburbs of Tokyo, in an office building a short bus ride from Ogikubo metro station. 

Formed after the closure of Walt Disney Animation Japan, The Answer Studio has worked on many animation projects including Your Name (2016), Batman: Gotham by Gaslight (2018), Golgo 13 (2008–2009) and Tower of God – Season 2 (2024).

Animation Process

The process of making animation in Japan remains little changed from 25 years ago.  Most of the artists are still working on pencil and paper, and I even recognised the exact same style of animation desk that I myself worked on back in 2002.  

Of course, many artists are working digitally on a Cintique, but a number of the old school artists still cleave to the traditional methods. 

3D workstation at The Answer Studio

Studio Tour

Our students were given a tour of both the 2D and 3D areas of the studio, getting an insight into how a Japanese animation studio works. 

The fourth floor of The Answer Studio is dedicated to 2D animation, mostly hand-drawn, using old school animation desks.  

On the third floor The Answer Studio has its 3D Dept, working in Maya.

Our students could not have been made more welcome; The Answer Studio gave us all a Bento Box lunch, and took time out of their day to show us the workings of the studio, a unique experience for our animation students. 

Disney Tokyo

Pooh Bear in Piglet's Big Movie

I worked in Tokyo at Walt Disney Animation Japan for six months in the Spring and Summer of 2002, working on Piglet's Big Movie, a film that was storyboarded in Los Angeles - but animated in Tokyo.

Tokyo Talent
Working in Japan was a great experience, in part because of the very talented Japanese crew, and also because of the very strong work ethic that drove the team to strive for the highest possible quality on the movie, despite its comparatively low budget.

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