Animator

## Company Description Keywords Studios is a global provider of creative and technical services to the video games industry, with over 13,000 professionals across 70+ studios in 25+ countries. We support clients across the entire game lifecycle through four core Service Lines: - Create — Game development, art production, and audio - Globalize — Localization, localization QA, functional testing - Engage — Marketing, LiveOps, community, and player support - Media & Entertainment In Japan, Keywords Studios delivers its full range of services across Create, Globalize, and Engage, supporting leading publishers, developers, agencies, and IP owners through both local and global teams. ## Job Description ***Applicants must be currently residing in Japan and possess valid authorization to work in Japan.*** **Animation Production** - Create high-quality keyframe and/or motion capture animations for characters, creatures, vehicles, and gameplay systems. - Develop expressive and believable movement that supports gameplay responsiveness and narrative goals. - Produce polished animation cycles including locomotion, combat, traversal, facial animation, cinematic performances, and interactive sequences. - Maintain consistency of animation style, quality, and performance across the project. - Implement and refine animations within game engines such as Unreal Engine or Unity. - Troubleshoot and resolve animation issues related to rigging, blending, state machines, and gameplay integration. **Creative Collaboration** - Collaborate closely with design, engineering, cinematic, audio, and art teams to achieve gameplay and storytelling objectives. - Participate in creative reviews, sprint planning, and milestone deliverables. - Contribute ideas to improve animation pipelines, workflows, and player experience. - Work with technical artists and programmers to ensure animations meet engine and performance requirements. **Technical & Pipeline Responsibilities** - Optimize animation assets for runtime performance and memory constraints. - Assist with motion capture shoots, cleanup, retargeting, and implementation. - Maintain organized source files and documentation according to studio standards. - Stay current with emerging animation techniques, tools, and industry trends. ## Qualifications **Required Skills and Qualifications** - Bachelor’s degree in Animation, Game Art, Fine Arts, Multimedia, or equivalent industry experience. - Shipped at least one AAA, AA, or commercially released game title. - Advanced understanding of animation principles including timing, weight, posing, spacing, and body mechanics. - Strong portfolio or demo reel demonstrating high-quality gameplay and cinematic animation work. - High proficiency with industry-standard software such as Autodesk Maya, MotionBuilder, Blender, or equivalent. - Experience implementing animations in Unreal Engine, Unity, or proprietary engines. - Understanding of rigging constraints, animation systems, and technical pipelines. - Excellent communication, collaboration, and feedback skills. - Strong problem-solving and organizational abilities. - Fluent in Japanese and with a high degree of English language proficiency. ## Additional Information **Employment Type:** 1-Year Contract If you'd like to know more about Keywords Studios we recommend visiting our corporate site [HERE](https://www.keywordsstudios.com/en/) Keywords is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and supportive working environment. Role Information: EN Studio: Keywords Studios Location: Asia Pacific, Japan, Tokyo Area of Work: Art Services Service: Create Employment Type: Full Time, Contract Working Pattern: Remote ***PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY*** Keywords Studios is strongly committed to protecting your personal information. By sending your CV/Resume, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and consent to your data being managed and retained in accordance with our data privacy and retention policy *https://www.keywordss…