Interest
Tokyo School of Anime Branches Out into Pro Gaming
posted on by Eric Stimson
Japan will soon have its first school dedicated entirely to the professional gaming, or e-sports, industry. The Tokyo School of Anime, which specializes in training students who hope to enter the anime industry, announced on Twitter on February 16 that it will branch into pro gaming as well.
The school will have four main divisions. One will train students who aspire to be professional gamers, teaching them how to maximize their skills at first-person shooters (FPS), real-time strategy (RTS), and fighting games, as well as training future team managers. Another will focus on the business of e-sports, teaching students the fundamentals of business, marketing and "sports business know-how," with the objective of making them employable for game companies, marketing firms and event companies, or to give them the expertise to start their own business in the video game field. A third division will train aspiring game commentators and tournament MCs in the skills of voice acting and how to make the excitement of video gaming come alive for the audience. Another division will provide students with the knowledge needed to become events and technical staff, so they can plan and manage tournaments behind the scenes.
E-sports is a growing industry worldwide; its boosters claim that it will one day rival traditional professional sports. It is especially popular in South Korea, where it is the second-most popular dream occupation chosen by children, and where major companies like Samsung and SK Planet sponsor players. Its international tournaments attract fervent fans and large crowds (155,000 attendees at the 2012 World Cyber Games, for instance).
The school boasts high-quality facilities, and staff and teachers who are already professional gamers. Students may begin attending the second year of high school. It seeks people with quick reflexes, accurate motor skills, and good judgment, as well as those who "are happiest when playing games."
The Tokyo School of Anime's Media Center
The Tokyo School of Anime is located in Edogawa Ward and trains students interested in voice acting, animation, figure design, sound engineering, anime creation, and the business of anime.
[Via Hachima Kikou; Images from Tokyo School of Anime]
