2025 New Graduate Hiring - Application Guidelines
Animator/アニメーター
General Description
An animator starts from initial animation design, then brings a character to life by making it move in an individual and appealing way.
Animators work not just on in-game character animations, but also on cinematic animations depending on an individual's preferences and skillset.
Job Details
・Create animations for characters and other moving things in-game ・Create and submit ideas for games (everyone can do this) ・Do everything you can to make our games fun and interesting! (everyone can do this)
Required Skills
・Any experience creating animations (not restricted to 3DCG) ・Fluent Japanese communication skills (if not a native speaker of Japanese, at least JLPT N2 or equivalent communication ability preferred)
Preferred Skills
・Experience creating with Maya ・Experience creating with MotionBuilder ・Experience creating rigs and developing tools with Python, MEL scripts, etc. ・Console game development experience ・English communication skills
Ideal Candidate
・Someone who can identify problems during asset creation, then proactively work with other sections to resolve them ・Someone who can approach the ever-changing dynamics of game development with flexibility, endurance, and a positive outlook ・Someone with interest in and a passion for the newest techniques and ideas being used in the industry, and the ability or willingness to try to implement these developments into their own work
Rewarding and Interesting Parts of the Job
An animator works through creating animations to bring out characters' appeal and personalities, but beyond animation asset creation, they are able to get actively involved in the game design process.
The ability to convey a character's personality and way of thinking via their movements to really make them shine is a very rewarding way to express one's creativity.
One of the interesting things about the job is to see how a character's movements affect the feeling of the game, and to express these feelings visually.
Animators need to work together with planners and programmers to make sure characters as implemented move naturally and as expected. The creativity and dynamic nature of the job make animation creation an interesting and fulfilling job.
Hiring Department
Tango Gameworks (Game Development Studio)
Company Name
ZeniMax Asia K.K.
Parent Organization
Microsoft Corporation / ZeniMax Media Inc.
Industry
IT / Information Processing / Software / Game Development and Sales
Company Address
Tokyo-to Minato-ku Shibaura 4-2-8 Sumitomo Fudosan Mita Twin Bldg. 6F
Group Homepage
https://www.zenimax.com
*The Japanese arm does not have a separate homepage.
Studio Homepage
Bethesda Homepage
Phone
03-3769-0181
Fax
03-3769-0182
HR Manager
Satoko Sophia Malloy
Organization Details
・ZeniMax Media Inc.
Founded in 1999 with its headquarters in the US, the ZeniMax group is a world leader in game development and publishing. It boasts development studios in 13 countries around the world, including Japan, and also includes Bethesda Softworks, a publisher who has released many games beloved by multiple generations of gamers.
・ZeniMax Asia K.K.
The Japanese arm of American parent company ZeniMax Media Inc., ZeniMax Asia K.K. encapsulates game developer Tango Gameworks as well as the publisher Bethesda Softworks - Japan.
・Tango Gameworks
A game design and development studio with works including Hi-Fi RUSH, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and the The Evil Within series. An elite team of creators working in a freeform environment who deliver unique original titles from Japan to the whole world!
Foundation
January, 2008
Representative
Colin Mack
Capitalization
30,000,000 JPY
Sales
Undisclosed
Employees
105 (As of March 1, 2024)
Workplace
Same as Company Address
Titles Released
Hi-Fi RUSH
https://bethesda.net/en-US/game/hifirush
Ghostwire:Tokyo
https://bethesda.net/en/game/ghostwire-tokyo
The Evil Within 2
https://bethesda.net/en/game/the-evil-within
The Evil Within
https://bethesda.net/en/game/the-evil-within
Required Qualifications
・Degree from a graduate program, undergraduate program, two-year college, technical school, or vocational school required ・Any major is welcome to apply ・Study-abroad students are welcome to apply
Note: Students graduating between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025 are considered "Class of 2025," so those graduating in the autumn are welcome to apply.
Application Format
Direct personal applications as well as introductions from a school are accepted.
Where & How to Apply
Please fill out the following form:
Form URL https://forms.office.com/r/8BFqJYPx4R
Selection Process
① Screening of application materials
② Interviews (generally 2-3 times)
・Depending on circumstances, these can take the form of casual conversations
・Programmers might need to undergo a basic skills test
・We might request additional portfolio samples
Application Materials
The same documents are required for all sections (open format)
① Resume
② CV (explain which section you're applying to and why)
③ Sample of your work (design document, portfolio, video, etc.) ■A sample video is required for animators.
Application Deadline
Applications are always open. There are no particular deadlines, so take the time you need to prepare materials to introduce yourself properly, then send everything to us.
Document Screening & Interviews
Screening and interviews do not have a fixed schedule, and are done whenever an applicant submits their application materials.
Notification of Results
We send notification of application results, whether positive or negative, to all applicants. ・We are unable to return application materials to the applicant. ・For professional reasons we are unable to provide feedback regarding samples of applicants' work. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
Base Salary
Yearly salary of 3,640,000 JPY (based on 2023 graduate hiring)
・Salary includes 45 hours of overtime per month.
・Overtime allowance is paid for any overtime in a month in excess of 45 hours.
・Yearly salary is paid in 12 monthly installments of 1/12 each.
・Salary is divided into base pay and service allowance (comprising the included 45 hours overtime pay).
[Example Calculation]
・Monthly pay: 303,334 (Base pay 225,630 + service allowance 77,704 JPY)
・Yearly salary is counted as 3,640,000 JPY but is calculated as 303,334 x 12 months with small differences due to rounding being paid out in the employee's favor (based on 2023 graduate hiring)
・Probationary period of 6 months
・Probationary period work requirements: Same as regular employee requirements
Contract Type
Regular employee, with the following caveats: ・At the time of hiring, and during the probationary period, employees sign a fixed-term employment contract. ・After 6 months, the contract is either renewed or the employee is promoted to regular employee.
Other Allowances
Transportation allowance (up to 50,000 JPY per month)
Bonuses
Depending on company performance
Evaluation and Pay Adjustment
Employee performance and compensation are reconsidered on a yearly basis.
Work Days
Based on the Japanese calendar
Work Hours
Operating hours: 10:00-19:00
Flex time (core time 11:00-16:00)
Holidays
Saturdays, Sundays, Japanese national holidays, as well as the New Year holiday (December 29-January 3)
・No fewer than 120 days off per year
Vacation Days
・Yearly paid vacation days for the first year if starting in April: 10 days ・Personal days: up to 5 days (reduced proportionally for the first year depending on start date) ・Wellness days: up to 5 days (reduced proportionally for the first year depending on start date) ・Various special vacation types (marriage, mourning, etc.)
Benefits
(Common to all group companies)
Compensation for inviting new employees, length-of-service awards, game library (for Bethesda/Xbox game studio employees)
(Japan-specific benefits)
Shakai Hoken (health insurance, retirement, unemployment insurance, worker's compensation insurance), Japanese 401k, discounts for various leisure and other services, employee support programs (counseling, etc.), various intra-company events
Training
Our motto is "learn on the job while making games!"
We support employees as necessary with the required materials (books, etc.) as well as by sending them to seminars and other avenues of continuing education.
Other
Casual dress code
End of Application Guidelines
As of March 1, 2024