Shaping a 3D Art Career in Tokyo through Curiosity and Lifelong Learning

To start, could you introduce yourself—where you’re from and what you do?

Sure. My name is Kenti. I’m from France and I’ve been living in Tokyo since 2023—almost three years now. I first came to Japan to study Japanese, and now I work here as a Technical Artist. After finishing my studies in game art and game design in France, I tried to find a job in the video game industry, but it was very difficult. Even now the industry is hard to enter and there aren’t many positions. I decided to come to Japan. While studying Japanese, I freelanced for French companies, then I found a job at a Japanese game company as a 3D character animator. I stayed there for about six or seven months.

And then you moved to your current company?

Yes. My current company isn’t in the game industry, but we use the same tools and workflows—creating animation, trailers, and CG.

If it’s not games, what industry is it?

It’s a bit hard to summarize because as a Technical Artist I touch many fields. I can work for games, advertising, movies, and animation—my school prepared me for that breadth. Right now my company provides 3D CG and simulation for the automotive and innovation sectors.

Wow.

Yes, as a Technical Artist you end up doing a lot of different things.

Why did you choose to study game design in the first place?

Good question. I started out studying biology—microbiology—at university, but I realized I didn’t want to spend my life in a lab. I loved movies, animation, and games, so I applied to a 3D program. My first choice was film animation, but my school didn’t have many students for that track, so they opened a game track instead. The tools are basically the same, so I joined. I chose this path because I love creating—especially animating—bringing something from my mind to the screen.

Do you like playing games yourself?

I used to play a lot, but now I don’t have much time. I still love games, though.

How busy are you these days?

Really busy. It’s not only work and hobbies—living and working in Japan involves a lot of paperwork and time. That takes energy, so I have to prioritize. I don’t have much time for gaming; sometimes I play, but not often.

Do you remember your very first project?

Yes. My first professional project in 3D wasn’t animation. I worked on the UI of the game for a hospital. Patients played while the game collected medical data. I designed the interface and did some programming.

I didn’t know that kind of thing existed.

It’s called a “serious game.”

How was the experience?

Very good. I went to the hospital once a week for meetings. Doctors reviewed my work and asked for features—“Can you try this? Can you add that?” Technically it wasn’t very complex, but it was meaningful and I learned a lot. That’s the key: I kept learning after school, and I’m still learning new tools all the time. That never stops.

You work across various fields, right? For you, what has been the happiest moment as a Technical Artist?

Right now, in my current company. I have much more responsibility and I’m working in a team of two for the current project, so I need to take initiative and learn new workflows. The project is unusual, so I have to be creative and understand what’s in the designer’s head. My job is to build the rig—the “skeleton”—for an innovation concept car and animate it. The car doesn’t exist yet, so I have to imagine its mechanical movements. It’s challenging and I’m still learning, but I have responsibility. That’s why I like this moment most.

The car you’re imagining and designing—will it be shown publicly?

Yes. It’s going to be revealed next year at CES in Las Vegas. My job is to create the trailer for that release. I might even go to Las Vegas with the team.

That sounds great. Could you also share the toughest moment of your career?

Working as a freelancer in the game industry. You “work for passion,” which can mean a lot of unpaid or long overtime and not-great salaries. It’s normalized in some places. I respect people who can make a living in games—it’s very hard.

A lot of people in the creative industry struggle. Is that because of competition?

I think so. Many people want to do it, but there aren’t many positions.

How would you describe your career or life in the game industry overall, in France and Japan?

Mostly freelance. In Japan I wasn’t in a permanent role either—it was month-to-month contracts. In games, you rarely stay at the same company for a long time. You move a lot because there aren’t many stable positions.

In Japan, the work environment has a reputation for being tough. What was your experience?

The Japanese game company I worked with was fully remote because of the pandemic. We used meetings, Scrum, and agile for the main projects. I wasn’t in the office, which worked fine. At that time I did 3D character animation.

Why did you decide to move to another industry or company?

Overtime and salary. In games people often say “work for passion,” and many accept long or unpaid overtime because of that. I didn’t want that. I also wanted more innovation and sometimes an office environment. Now I work hybrid—office and remote—with flextime. I can choose.

Flexible sounds like the best balance. You don’t want to be stuck at home all week or commute every day on packed trains.

Exactly. This way I can experience both. As long as I deliver, it’s fine. I can choose my hours—finish earlier or later—and decide when to go in. For example, today I worked remotely because there were no meetings. That’s perfect for me. Being fully remote all the time felt different.

When you were freelancing in the game industry—was that in France or Japan?

Both. First I worked on the hospital “serious game.” Then I did animation and rigging in France. Around that time I was preparing to study in Japan. When I arrived, my first year focused on language study. After that I took freelance missions from friends, and later I found a paid position here.

I’m curious about the game industry in France. A French friend of mine never overworks—at six he leaves and says, “No emails, don’t message me.”

In general we separate work and personal life strictly. But in the arts, sometimes you stay late to finish something.

So the creative industry’s work environment is similar worldwide.

Yes. I have friends at Ubisoft in France—the studio behind Assassin’s Creed and other big titles. At the end of projects there’s often “crunch.” Because development tends to run late, employees are asked to work more near the finish.

Changing paths from science to art—were you worried?

Very. My family is very scientific—programming, aeronautics, space. The “normal” path was university and beyond. I liked biology, but thinking about the future and job prospects, it didn’t feel right for me. I considered programming, but I don’t enjoy coding all day. So I thought: maybe games, maybe 3D, maybe animation. It turned out to be a good choice. I have no regrets about choosing art.

What helped you take that step?

Courage, and following what you like. If you want to turn your passion into your job, do your best. You can always change later. There are opportunities, but working in your dream field takes effort and sacrifice—especially in art. The hardest part is getting the first one: the first mission, the first experience, the first project. In the beginning you’re building your network; after that it gets easier.

I have a more conceptual question. What does “Technical Artist” mean to you?

Creating art using many tools. It’s not like drawing only with a pencil. My job is to create artistic results in 3D using technology—software and technical methods—to bring the work to life.

How did that change your life or creative career?

It taught me that in the art industry you keep learning all your life. When I graduated, I thought, “I know it now,” but in technical art you use computers, programming, and pipelines—and everything evolves. New tools, new hardware, new workflows for 3D animation, movies, and games. I learned to spend time almost every day looking at new tools and plugins, new ways to animate or build things.

I also need to keep learning, but sometimes there’s too much and I feel overwhelmed—especially with new tech and AI. Do you feel that way?

Especially when you learn from zero, it’s hard. A good approach is a small daily habit—fifteen or thirty minutes. Try to understand a bit. Not necessarily every single day, but regularly. Re-read, re-watch, practice a tool, draw, or design. Keep it in your head and over time it sticks.

Let’s talk about Tokyo and Japan. What kind of place is Tokyo for you?

A concrete jungle. I’m from the countryside in France, so I miss the green. But Tokyo is full of opportunity. There are many people to meet and you can build a network in the arts. It’s huge, but you can still have personal experiences. I’m still discovering new things every day. It feels like a country by itself.

Why did you decide to move to Japan in the first place?

For work—opportunities I didn’t see in France. Personally, since I was a child I watched a lot about Japan: documentaries, movies, anime. My family liked anime, and I appreciated traditions. In France my parents and friends said, “You’re more Japanese than Japanese people,” which is funny. I value respect. I also love landscapes and hiking.

How did your impression before moving compare to after you arrived?

It was exactly what I expected. Before coming, for about four years I studied a lot about Japan every day—not just the language, but society and rules. So when I arrived, it matched. People who come with no knowledge have a very different experience. Learning beforehand made the cultural gap much smaller for me.

So if you learn enough before coming, the cultural gap isn’t as big.

There’s still a gap, but as a foreigner it’s your responsibility to understand the culture and be part of it. That fits my personality, so it felt natural.

Day-to-day life in Japan versus France—how does it compare?

Getting around is easy here. Transport works very well. In France, some aspects of the job market can feel easier. In Japan, younger people are changing their mindset, so it’s slowly becoming more like France. My current company feels very “French” in terms of balance. Daily life is easier than I expected: health insurance and medical services are very good, and safety—which is important to me—is excellent. It’s easy to live without constant stress. I do have other stresses as a foreigner, but daily life is calm.

What future do you see for yourself, creatively?

I don’t plan to stay in one company forever. I want to change companies and even industries from time to time. Every change lets you learn new tools, meet new people, grow your network, and increase your salary. Maybe in a year or two, if I gain more experience, a role in games will open and I’ll go back. I don’t know yet. The point is to keep challenging myself, not stay in one place for life.

Do you have clear goals right now?

I’m still learning—inside and outside games. My long-term goal is to create my own company, but I don’t want to rush. I want to learn first.

That’s great. When did that idea start?

I’ve always felt that being a salaried employee is fine, but I want to choose my own projects. When I’m more confident, I want to pass my experience to others. Young people may lack experience, but they have fresh ideas. Back in game school we had a “company creation” course. I often spoke with my teacher, who said, “It’s your choice: work for someone all your life, or create something with others.” From then on, I knew I would build something someday.

Starting a company requires more than creative skill—there’s business, networking, taxes. How will you step toward that?

Step by step. First, keep working in companies and learn everything about creation in my field. Then learn how to create a company—the business side, administration, and paperwork. Build a solid base: experience, understanding how a company runs, and of course money. Passion is important, but don’t rush.

What would you tell juniors entering your field?

Portfolio first. That’s how companies see your work, experience, and skills. Include almost every skill you can show, but put your preferred specialty at the top. Then show the other skills that support becoming a technical artist. Also, build a network. In France I went to game jams—developers gather for two or three days to make small games in teams. It’s free, you meet people who love making games, you improve fast, and you grow your network. There’s a lot of support for game jams in France, and in Tokyo there are game-industry communities too.

About portfolio order—you put your preferred work at the top because most people don’t start directly as Technical Artists, right?

Correct. Usually you start in a specific role—animator, rigger, texture artist—and become a Technical Artist as you collect more skills. So if you want to be an animator, put animation first. Your career can change later.

When you start your own company, who is your dream client—or what is your dream job?

My dream is to create 3D animated films in the spirit of Pixar or Disney. I once wanted to found a video game studio, but from friends’ experiences that’s very hard. So maybe it’s better to create animation for clients while also producing original films of my own. That’s the goal.

What message would you give your younger self?

Focus on your portfolio, and don’t close doors by learning only one thing. In school I thought, “I’ll study just this and only do that job,” but in our industry you keep evolving. If you want more skills, look at other industries and domains. It reminds me of a drawing lesson: I used to draw a tree trunk straight from bottom to top in one stroke. The teacher said, “Leave some blanks so branches can grow.” Your career is the same—leave room for branches. Don’t close doors. Keep learning as much as you can.

Thank you. Anything else you’d like to share—especially for people thinking about moving to Japan?

About visas and jobs—Japan can be difficult, but not impossible. If you really want it, you can make it work.