TamaGra is an abbreviation of the Department of Graphic Design at Tama Art University (Tamabi). Under the late Prof. Masahiro Katayama (1955-2011), TamaGra inspired a new generation of innovative animators including Oscar-winner Kato Kunio, renowned New York-based artist Akino Kondoh, and independent animators Mirai Mizue, Shin Hashimoto, Ryo Okawara, and Masaki Okuda.
Since 2012, Prof. Tatsutoshi Nomura (b. 1964), himself a Tamabi graduate, has led the TamaGra animation programme. Under Nomura’s leadership, TamaGra graduates have won international animation prizes. Notable examples include Yoko Kuno, who won the New Face Award at the 2013 Japanese Media Arts Festival and Sawako Kabuki, who won the Jury Award for Summer’s Puke is Winter’s Delight at Annecy 2017. Some graduates are working as independent or freelance animators, while others have gone on to work for animation studios or in the gaming industry.
Above is a selection of the best works by students at TamaGra this year. You can also click on links to individual films below. So far, I have only been able to find social media profiles for Eri Sasaki, but I will update this post when these young, up-and-coming artists establish a web presence.
Essay in the Desert
さばくのエッセイ
dir. Eri SASAKI / 佐々木恵理
twitter / tumblr
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White Home Town
白の故郷
dir. Yuki OHGITA / 扇田優紀
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Jigoku Metamoru
地獄めたもる
dir. Sawako KAGEYAMA / 影山紗和子
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A Little Bird Told
風のことつて
dir. Akiko HOSHINO / 星野章子
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The Sale
今日はきょろきょろバーゲンセール
dir. Maki MORIMOTO / 森本眞生
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Slug
なめくじ
dir. Risa KURODA / 黒田理沙
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Swing-by
dir. Ayano YAMAZAWA / 山澤彩乃
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Wormy
燭
dir. Yuka INADA / 稲田有華
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Shintou Messatu
心頭滅殺
dir. Akane NIIMI / 新美茜音
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The Wife of the Goliath Fish
大魚の嫁
dir. Eri SASAKI / 赤津佳織
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Mine
dir. Kanako SAKAGUCHI / 坂口歌菜子
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Moon
dir. Luna HARANO / 原野瑠奈
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Magical Kiss
dir. Ayaka KOGURE / 木暮文香
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A Snail
かたつむり
dir. Mari SUZUKI / 鈴木真理
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Karma DON Galaxy
かるまどんぎゃらくしー
dir. Chiharu MINOWA / 箕輪千春
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Lights, Camera, Action
ライツ・カメラ・アクション
dir. Yunosuke YAMADA / 山田裕之介
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Goodbye to OKUBA
オクバにさよなら
dir. Shinya HASHIZUME / 橋爪伸弥
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JYOU
dir. Jixin ZHOU / シュウ ジキン
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Moment of Truth
人面桃花
dir. Xi CHEN / チン キ
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I Want. . .
羽がほしい
dir. Xi CHEN / チン キ
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Yummy Hunny Bunny
たべたいマイハニー
dir. Minori YAMADA / やまだみのり
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2017 Cathy Munroe Hotes