39 Best universities for Animation in Japan

Updated: March 02, 2025

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Japan ranked based on their research performance in Animation. A graph of 64.6K citations received by 6.3K academic papers made by 39 universities in Japan was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

Please note that our approach to subject rankings is based on scientific outputs and heavily biased on art-related topics towards institutions with computer science research profiles.

1. University of Tokyo

For Animation

#3 in Asia

#13 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 36%
Enrollment: 28,479
Founded: 1877

2. Tokyo Institute of Technology

For Animation

#14 in Asia

#51 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1881

3. Nagoya University

For Animation

#47 in Asia

#158 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 15,834
Founded: 1939

4. Kyoto University

For Animation

#50 in Asia

#167 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 22,455
Founded: 1897

5. Osaka University

For Animation

#51 in Asia

#168 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 23,123
Founded: 1931

6. Kyushu University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Animation

#55 in Asia

#186 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 18,560
Founded: 1911

7. Keio University

For Animation

#56 in Asia

#189 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 12%
Enrollment: 33,518
Founded: 1858

8. Waseda University

For Animation

#60 in Asia

#196 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Enrollment: 47,094
Founded: 1882

9. Hokkaido University

Japan | Sapporo

For Animation

#68 in Asia

#228 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Enrollment: 17,541
Founded: 1918

10. Tohoku University

For Animation

#71 in Asia

#245 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 17,591
Founded: 1907

11. University of Tsukuba

Japan | Tsukuba

For Animation

#74 in Asia

#249 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 16,507
Founded: 1973

12. University of Aizu

Japan | Aizuwakamatsu

For Animation

#85 in Asia

#320 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 1,371
Founded: 1993

13. Tokyo University of Science

For Animation

#97 in Asia

#351 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Enrollment: 19,768
Founded: 1881

14. Hosei University

For Animation

#110 in Asia

#403 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1880

15. University of Electro-Communications

For Animation

#120 in Asia

#438 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1949

16. Kyushu Institute of Technology

Japan | Kitakyushu

For Animation

#125 in Asia

#454 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1907

17. Hiroshima University

Japan | Higashihiroshima

For Animation

#129 in Asia

#472 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 15,066
Founded: 1949

18. Gunma University

Japan | Maebashi

For Animation

#139 in Asia

#501 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1949

19. Kobe University

For Animation

#149 in Asia

#521 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 15,999
Founded: 1902

20. Ritsumeikan University

For Animation

#150 in Asia

#524 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1899

21. Tokyo Metropolitan University

Japan | Hachioji

For Animation

#154 in Asia

#543 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 9,059
Founded: 2005

22. Chuo University

Japan | Hachioji

For Animation

#166 in Asia

#565 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Enrollment: 31,739
Founded: 1885

23. Iwate University

Japan | Morioka

For Animation

#183 in Asia

#608 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 5,402
Founded: 1949

24. Toyohashi University of Technology

Japan | Toyohashi

For Animation

#184 in Asia

#609 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Founded: 1976

25. Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

For Animation

#187 in Asia

#616 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1949

26. Nagoya Institute of Technology

For Animation

#197 in Asia

#643 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1905

27. Chiba University

For Animation

#208 in Asia

#684 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 32%
Enrollment: 13,983
Founded: 1949

28. Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

For Animation

#209 in Asia

#688 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1990

29. Kansai University

For Animation

#212 in Asia

#695 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 29,749
Founded: 1922

30. Ibaraki University

For Animation

#216 in Asia

#700 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1949

31. Yokohama National University

Japan | Yokohama

For Animation

#234 in Asia

#733 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Founded: 1949

32. Doshisha University

For Animation

#239 in Asia

#740 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 28,354
Founded: 1920

33. Kumamoto University

Japan | Kumamoto

For Animation

#269 in Asia

#799 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 7,629
Founded: 1949

34. Nara Institute of Science and Technology

For Animation

#275 in Asia

#813 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1991

35. Ehime University

Japan | Matsuyama

For Animation

#282 in Asia

#823 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Enrollment: 9,033
Founded: 1949

36. Seikei University

Japan | Musashino

For Animation

#289 in Asia

#835 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1949

37. Kanagawa Institute of Technology

For Animation

#297 in Asia

#853 in the World

Founded: 1975

38. Saitama University

Japan | Saitama

For Animation

#309 in Asia

#872 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1949

39. Kagoshima University

Japan | Kagoshima

For Animation

#316 in Asia

#885 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1949

The best cities to study Animation in Japan based on the number of universities and their ranks are Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, and Suita.