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Anime Animator Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Spellbrush

3D Game Programmer (Unity)

San Francisco, CA ยท Remote

... an anime game, so this is a requirement! You have independently developed a 3D narrative game in Unity Bonus points if the game is first-person. You're good at 3D character animation Bonus if you ...

Spellbrush

3D Game Programmer (Unity)

San Francisco, CA ยท On-site

... an anime game, so this is a requirement! You have independently developed a 3D narrative game in Unity Bonus points if the game is first-person. You're good at 3D character animation Bonus if you ...

Toho International, Inc.

Social Media Intern

Los Angeles, CA ยท On-site

$16.25 - $20.75/hr

Film and edit short-form videos for Godzilla and TOHO animation STORE US channels * Assist with ... and anime content for motion pictures, television, and theater. This legacy makes Toho ...

Heritage Auctions

2026 Summer Internship

Dallas, TX

$14.50 - $18.50/hr

Comics, Animation, & Anime * Fine Arts * Fine Jewelry * Historical * IT * Pop Culture Collectibles * Sports Memorabilia * Corporate Recruiting What We Look For in Our Interns We seek passionate ...

Heritage Capital Corporation

2026 Summer Internship

Dallas, TX ยท On-site

$14.50 - $18.50/hr

Comics, Animation, & Anime * Fine Arts * Fine Jewelry * Historical * IT * Pop Culture Collectibles * Sports Memorabilia * Corporate Recruiting What We Look For in Our Interns We seek passionate ...

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Anime Animator information

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How much do anime animator jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 30, 2026, the average hourly pay for anime animator in the United States is $39.41, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $21.88 and $63.94 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Does Disney still hire 2D animators?

Disney Animation Studios continues to hire 2D animators, especially for projects that preserve traditional animation techniques. While the industry has shifted toward digital and 3D animation, Disney maintains a team of skilled 2D animators for specific productions and training programs, often requiring proficiency in software like Toon Boom or Adobe Animate.

How much do anime animators make?

Anime animators typically earn between $30,000 and $70,000 annually, depending on experience, location, and the studio. Entry-level animators may start lower, while experienced professionals or those working on high-profile projects can earn higher salaries, especially with specialized skills in digital tools and character design.

What are some of the common challenges Anime Animators face when working on collaborative projects?

Anime Animators often work as part of a large team alongside storyboard artists, character designers, and directors. One common challenge is ensuring consistency in animation style and character movement, especially when multiple animators handle different scenes. Effective communication and regular check-ins are essential to align on the project's vision and meet tight production deadlines. Adapting to feedback quickly and being flexible with changes are also important skills in this collaborative environment.

What is the difference between Anime Animator vs Character Designer?

AspectAnime AnimatorCharacter Designer
Primary RoleCreates movement and animation sequences for anime characters and scenesDesigns the visual appearance and personality of characters before animation begins
Required SkillsDrawing, motion timing, understanding of animation principlesDrawing, character concept art, visual storytelling
Work EnvironmentAnimation studios, production houses, freelance projectsConcept art studios, animation companies, freelance work
Common Industry UsageUsed in anime production to bring characters to lifeUsed in character creation and pre-production phases

While both roles involve drawing skills and work within the anime industry, an Anime Animator focuses on bringing characters to life through movement, whereas a Character Designer creates the initial visual concepts of characters. Both roles are essential and often collaborate during the production process.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an Anime Animator, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Anime Animator, you need a solid background in drawing, animation principles, and visual storytelling, often gained through a degree in animation or fine arts. Familiarity with software such as Adobe Animate, Toon Boom Harmony, and industry-standard editing tools is typically required. Creativity, attention to detail, and the ability to collaborate effectively with directors and other artists are standout soft skills. These competencies ensure the production of visually compelling animations that meet narrative and production standards in a highly collaborative environment.

Is AI replacing 3D animators?

AI technology is increasingly used to assist 3D animators by automating repetitive tasks and enhancing workflow, but it does not fully replace the need for skilled human animators. Creative direction, complex character expressions, and artistic judgment remain essential skills in 3D animation jobs. Professionals in this field often use AI tools alongside traditional software to improve efficiency and quality.

What does an anime animator do?

An anime animator is responsible for creating the movement and visual storytelling in anime productions. They draw key frames and in-between frames, bring characters and scenes to life, and work closely with directors and other artists to maintain the style and pacing of the animation. Their work often involves both traditional hand-drawn techniques and digital animation tools. Anime animators play a crucial role in shaping the overall look and feel of an anime series or film.

How to get a job as an anime animator?

To become an anime animator, develop strong drawing skills and proficiency in animation software such as Toon Boom or Adobe Animate. Building a portfolio showcasing your work, gaining experience through internships or freelance projects, and understanding industry standards are essential steps to secure employment in the field.
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Anime Animator jobs near you
AI Anime Researcher - Motion Generation Models

AI Anime Researcher - Motion Generation Models

Spellbrush

San Francisco, CA โ€ข On-site

Full-time

Posted 29 days ago

Job description

tl;dr: We're building a 3D first-person adventure game where an AI companion is the core of the game. Think MiSide with LLMs, but truly integrated with gameplay, not just a RP chatbot.
About Us
Here at Spellbrush, we're passionate about making a good anime game.
We also happen to be the world's leading generative AI studio-we're the team behind nijiใƒปjourney.
Our mission is simple: use AI to bring characters to life and push the boundaries of narrative-driven games.
What We're Building
We've developed an in-house LLM storytelling system that blends AI, story, and gameplay-going far beyond shallow "chat-only" experiences.
The result is an AI companion who cooperates with you in puzzles, remembers across worlds, and changes how each chapter unfolds.
In-game screenshots (development build)
About The Role
You will join a small but extremely talented team to define a new kind of video game experience. You'll work alongside top otaku minds in the industry, including the creator of Warudo and Cytoid, a Google Deepmind veteran behind Project Astra, and top-tier AI researchers.
As an early member of this team, you will have significant artistic and research freedom to shape what could become the next-generation LLM-driven storytelling experience.
Why You'll Love Working With Us
Impact and Ownership: As an early team member, you'll have the opportunity to push the boundaries of what's possible at the intersection of the AI, anime, and video game industry.
A World-Class Team: You'll work directly with some of the best AI researchers and engineers in the world in a small, mighty, and fast-paced team. You also have the opportunity to collaborate with one of the best image and video generation model teams in the world on data collection.
Unparalleled Resources: You will have a generous amount of compute to build the best possible models for anime characters.
Culture: We are seeking individuals who ideally are fans of anime and the anime aesthetic. We believe in the unmatched speed of in-person collaboration.
International Opportunities: We have primary research offices in downtown Akihabara, Tokyo, and San Francisco. Visa sponsorships are available for qualified candidates
You may be a good fit if:
You have hands-on experience in training text-to-motion or audio-to-motion models.
You might have previously published papers around the topic, or have worked at an industrial lab on this and related topics. You have seen the Grok AI companion and can develop systems inspired by such an audio-synced motion-generation system.
You have experience on facial motion generation
Most anime character's facial expressions are easier to generate than real people. Nevertheless, we have several magnitudes of more real human data. You'll be a good fit if you have worked on speech-driven 3D facial animation.
You have worked on real-time 3D motion generation
We need to interact with the character in real time. Knowing how to make that happen in terms of motion generation will be a big bonus.
You love anime and the anime aesthetic
As a member of our team, you'll have the opportunity to push the boundaries of what's possible in the anime and video game industry. Ideally you're a fan of the genre.
You're comfortable working on small, fast-paced teams
Our engineering team is small but mighty. You'll be working directly with some of the best AI researchers and engineers in the world.
We also believe in the unmatched speed of in-person teams, and prefer on-site collaboration in either our primary research office in Tokyo (downtown Akihabara) or San Francisco. Visa sponsorships are available.
You can effectively balance research exploration with product-focused development
Or, putting it in RL jargon, exploration and exploitation. You excel at working with research teams to synthesize high-impact needs, design and implement technical solutions, and communicate deliverables and tradeoffs.

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