Animated Short Films in Japan

Japanese Anime has become a global phenomenon over the years. Everyone from the Wachowski Brothers (with their commissioning Japanese anime directors for their Animatrix series) to the geniuses at Pixar have showered Japanese animation with praise. Influential directors like Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away) and Satoshi Kon (Paprika) among many others continue to see their films exported from Japan and into our conscious.

Where does a young animator get their start these days? At Anime festivals, of course. Animated short films in Japan are gaining an audience all over the world at various anime conventions. You’ll find them from Minnesota USA to Linz, Austria – but one of the most popular conventions takes place in Japan of course, and it’s called Comic Market, also known as “Comiket”.

Comiket has been happening twice a year since 1998 – primarily a convention for Japanese Manga (Comic Book) artists, it is a showcase for established and independent publishers, a multitude of stories, and of course, incredible artistic talent. A visit to Comiket (aside from putting you in the amazing city of Tokyo) will afford you to a look at everything from Cosplay competitions (where people dress up as their favorite anime characters) to special screening of the newest animated short films in Japan.

If Japan is a little out of the way, do a search on the internet for the anime convention nearest you – if you want to see the future of animated short films in Japan, it doesn’t mean you have to go too far. But if you are going to be in Japan, check out Comiket from Aug 15-17 at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center!