40 Best universities for Animation in Japan

Updated: March 15, 2026

Ranking by academic field

Below is a list of best universities in Japan ranked based on their research performance in Animation. A graph of 66.9K citations received by 6.35K academic papers made by 40 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: 28,918
Founded: 1877

2. Tokyo Institute of Technology

For Animation

#14 in Asia

#52 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1881

3. Nagoya University

For Animation

#49 in Asia

#164 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 15,959
Founded: 1939

4. Kyoto University

For Animation

#51 in Asia

#169 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 11%
Enrollment: 22,365
Founded: 1897

5. Osaka University

For Animation

#52 in Asia

#170 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 13%
Enrollment: 23,234
Founded: 1931

6. Kyushu University

Japan | Fukuoka

For Animation

#58 in Asia

#189 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 14%
Enrollment: 18,813
Founded: 1911

7. Keio University

For Animation

#59 in Asia

#191 in the World

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

8. Waseda University

For Animation

#61 in Asia

#198 in the World

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

9. Hokkaido University

Japan | Sapporo

For Animation

#70 in Asia

#232 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 27%
Enrollment: 17,770
Founded: 1918

10. Tohoku University

For Animation

#72 in Asia

#245 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Enrollment: 17,975
Founded: 1907

11. University of Tsukuba

Japan | Tsukuba

For Animation

#75 in Asia

#251 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 16,684
Founded: 1973

12. University of Aizu

Japan | Aizuwakamatsu

For Animation

#90 in Asia

#329 in the World

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

13. Tokyo University of Science

For Animation

#100 in Asia

#358 in the World

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

14. Hosei University

For Animation

#111 in Asia

#403 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1880

15. University of Electro-Communications

For Animation

#123 in Asia

#442 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 25%
Founded: 1949

16. Kyushu Institute of Technology

Japan | Kitakyushu

For Animation

#127 in Asia

#460 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1907

17. Hiroshima University

Japan | Higashihiroshima

For Animation

#132 in Asia

#475 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Enrollment: 15,505
Founded: 1949

18. Gunma University

Japan | Maebashi

For Animation

#147 in Asia

#511 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Founded: 1949

19. Kobe University

For Animation

#149 in Asia

#518 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 35%
Enrollment: 16,214
Founded: 1902

20. Ritsumeikan University

For Animation

#152 in Asia

#528 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1899

21. Tokyo Metropolitan University

Japan | Hachioji

For Animation

#160 in Asia

#547 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 21%
Enrollment: 9,126
Founded: 2005

22. Chuo University

Japan | Hachioji

For Animation

#175 in Asia

#587 in the World

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

23. Toyohashi University of Technology

Japan | Toyohashi

For Animation

#188 in Asia

#610 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 29%
Founded: 1976

24. Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology

For Animation

#190 in Asia

#617 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1949

25. Iwate University

Japan | Morioka

For Animation

#191 in Asia

#620 in the World

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

26. Nagoya Institute of Technology

For Animation

#206 in Asia

#662 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 22%
Founded: 1905

27. Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology

For Animation

#216 in Asia

#689 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 10%
Founded: 1990

28. Chiba University

For Animation

#220 in Asia

#699 in the World

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

29. Kansai University

For Animation

#221 in Asia

#702 in the World

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

30. Ibaraki University

For Animation

#228 in Asia

#714 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 34%
Founded: 1949

31. Yokohama National University

Japan | Yokohama

For Animation

#239 in Asia

#741 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 33%
Founded: 1949

32. Doshisha University

For Animation

#249 in Asia

#756 in the World

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

33. Kumamoto University

Japan | Kumamoto

For Animation

#274 in Asia

#802 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 18%
Enrollment: 11,098
Founded: 1949

34. Nara Institute of Science and Technology

For Animation

#278 in Asia

#809 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 31%
Founded: 1991

35. Ehime University

Japan | Matsuyama

For Animation

#286 in Asia

#825 in the World

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

36. Saitama University

Japan | Saitama

For Animation

#299 in Asia

#847 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 30%
Founded: 1949

37. Seikei University

Japan | Musashino

For Animation

#302 in Asia

#852 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 60%
Founded: 1949

38. Kanagawa Institute of Technology

For Animation

#312 in Asia

#870 in the World

Founded: 1975

39. Kogakuin University

For Animation

#323 in Asia

#891 in the World

Acceptance Rate: 50%
Founded: 1887

40. Kagoshima University

Japan | Kagoshima

For Animation

#329 in Asia

#899 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.