In recent years, Japanese culture has been expanding to the rest of the world. According to the "COOLJAPAN" program launched by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, many traditional Japanese cultures are being recognized as a trend that attracts the attention of a large number of foreigners. However, the content of so-called "subcultures" such as ACG and the idol industry has also been widely acclaimed, and it is gradually accelerating.

As a result, Japan is now known as a "developed country in animation", and for this reason, many international students who have studied in Japan from abroad have a strong interest in animation directors, animation producers, voice actors, etc. Recently, some Japanese media interviewed some international students studying at Japanese animation colleges, and explored the charm of animation from their mouths.

One of them came to Japan from China to study animation at Liu (28). After graduating from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, he worked in music in China for 3 years. After that, he chose to study in Japan. The reason for this is inseparable from anime.

Q: What made you like Japanese anime and what you liked?

Liu: The opportunity was to watch Studio Ghibli's work directed by Hayao Miyazaki. I was fascinated by the beautiful graphics and music of those works. I also like "Monster" and "Delusional Agent". I think the biggest attraction of Japanese animation is that it is able to depict characters and landscapes in a delicate way.

Q: Will Japanese anime be broadcast in China?

Liu: Japanese anime appears on TV a lot, so I watch it a lot. Japanese works are very popular in our country. Although there are also domestic animations in China, no matter how you look at them, they are all child-oriented, and most of them are educational works.

Q: What made you want to study in Japan?

Liu: There are a lot of works that I love because of the detailed descriptions of Japanese animation, so I wanted to learn a little bit from them. In addition, I have been working in music since I was in China, and sometimes I get involved in the production of animation works very accidentally. At that time, I thought to myself, how great it would be if I could participate in the production of works as an animation director in the future.

Q: What do you learn in your daily school life?

Liu: At the moment, I'm studying for the "Animation Storyboard" course, learning how to draw storyboards and other things, and I'm doing research very close to the animation site. During my studies, I actually made a short work of about 5 minutes, and I also studied this aspect because I wanted to learn how to act. In the first year and a half (three-year) I have learned.

The "Animation Maker Course" to which Xiao Liu belongs aims to cultivate talents who can act as an instant combat force in the animation production scene, and will also experience the entire process of making a work. It includes the structure of planning, character design, and series composition, as well as the processing part of animation editing and sound effects. In this way, the course enables students to master the ability to produce an entire work.

Xiao Liu will finish his vocational school in a year and a half. In an interview with reporters, he also confided in his dreams and wishes for the future.

"In the future, I hope to be able to produce works of the same high caliber as Japan in the Chinese animation industry. I wanted to have a studio with about 30 people at the place of work, and then I would like to participate in the production from the perspective of director Hayao Miyazaki. And I hope that through guò continue to accumulate experience in making zuò TV animations, one day I can leave a theatrical version of a large-scale zuò work in my life. ”

In addition to Xiao Liu, an international student who aims to become an animation director, this year there is also a Korean international student who came to the school to receive voice actor training. The 29-year-old was born in South Korea but then moved to the United States. At the age of 18, she was admitted to the University of California, Los Angeles, where she began studying Japanese and literature. After graduating, she worked in a hotel in Las Vegas. However, one day, she suddenly had the idea of "wanting to become a voice actress", so while feeling uneasy, she resolutely set foot on the strange land of Japan and began her study abroad career.

Q: What inspired you to get involved with Japanese animation?

Ellie: I lived in Korea when I was a kid, and my mother was very fond of Japanese animation. I sat next to her and watched it. The work I can remember now is "The Rose of Versailles", and I think it was the first Japanese anime I saw. Because of this influence, I still haven't changed my original intention of loving anime when I grow up, and my most recent works are "Black Butler" and "Natsume's Friend's Account".

Q: What do you think are the characteristics of Japanese animation?

Elle: The plot depicts the mood of the characters in a very delicate way, which makes me feel charmed. While watching the anime, I was able to easily incorporate my feelings. When I was still living in Korea, I used to watch Japanese animation, but when I arrived in the United States, I felt that local animation was often made of works such as machine qì people appearing and fighting and killing.

Q: You came to Japan with the goal of becoming a voice actor, so do you have a voice actor of your dreams?

Ellie: Maaya Sakamoto. Not only is she active as a voice actress, but she has also shined in a variety of fields, including music events. Such people deserve my respect. I still sell a lot of Ms. Maaya's CDs, and I listen to them a lot.

Q: What did you think about becoming a voice actor in Japan?

Ellie: I don't remember exactly why, but one day I suddenly thought, "I'm going to be a voice actor," and that passion quickly ignited in my heart. It's just that before I decided to come to Japan, I was still very worried. After all, everything I studied and my daily life will change drastically, so I have also considered various factors.

Q: Are you used to living in Japan now?

Ellie: I came here for about half a year, and I was surprised to find that I was able to adapt easily. It's just that I still have a headache about the full train in the morning (laughs).

Q: I see. Now that you've been in school for half a year, what are you studying?

Ellie: When I first entered school, my teacher told me to "correct your pronunciation". So I watched news and information programs while learning Japanese pronunciation. In addition, there will be practice in reading the script of the work in the school. I was instructed by my teacher to say those lines over and over again, thinking "I can't read it well, I have to be emotional."

Today, Elle belongs to the school's "Animation Voice Actor Course" major. This two-year program focuses on basic exercises in pronunciation and pronunciation, as well as actual voice acting, so that students can master the various elements necessary to become voice actors.

Elle, who has been enrolled for half a year, also showed reporters the eighteenth Kabuki "Wai Lang 士" she performed during class. Although it was only a short section, the clear lines coming out of her mouth made people sigh with emotion. And while she continues to learn, she also talks about her future plans.

"I'm from overseas myself, but that's my personality. That's why I dream of playing roles where international students live overseas for a long time, or roles where I can feel the bond between Japan and other countries. In addition, I also want to match not only the female voice, but also some children's voices of the male protagonist when he was a child. ”

If you were born and raised overseas, it is not easy to perform in Japanese. It's not just a matter of language barriers, but depending on the work and role, the voice actor also has to show the color of the cultural background when acting. This is not easy for foreigners.

In addition, it is also very difficult to obtain an employment visa in Japan. According to the official website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, foreigners who want to engage in theater must have an "acting visa". Since 2006, censorship has become stricter, so if you want to do a good job as a voice actor in Japan, you also have to face obstacles in the legal framework.

Here, the reporter also hopes that Elle can become a pioneer in this field and have an active role in the future.

In the above section, we interviewed two international students who came to Japan because they had a dream of anime. The reason why they want to become creators or voice actors is actually similar to that of many Japanese people. However, the fact that they chose to study in Japan is a reflection of the pride that Japanese animation has become a world-class phenomenon.

In 2013, according to the National Federation of Vocational Schools and Schools, there were 24,586 international students at vocational schools in the 2013 academic year, or 135,519 including universities. In the future, the government hopes to increase this number to 300,000 by 2020, and it is believed that many of them will become interested in Japanese animation and will continue to spread their wings.