Merca Animation School (MAS) is returning with its third season — officially titled “Merca Animation School Season 3: A Foundational Course for Watching, Thinking About, and Making Anime” — running for five sessions at Cinema City Cinema Two in Tachikawa, Tokyo, beginning December 19, 2026.

About the School

Led by chief instructor Takase Koji — an animation researcher and associate professor at Takarazuka University’s Tokyo Faculty of Media Arts — MAS is designed primarily for general audiences who want a deeper understanding of how modern anime is made. Previous editions include Seasons 1 and 2 of the foundational course and the intensive summer program “SUMMER BOOT CAMP.”

Season 3 Focus

Season 3 turns the spotlight on the work that happens before and after the drawing and art stages of production. The pre-production sessions cover scriptwriting and storyboarding, while the post-production sessions tackle online editing and color grading — along with the director’s role in overseeing every stage.

Guest instructors will present using actual production materials and include: Kadowaki Kohei (director, Warera wa Uchuujin), Kishimoto Taku (series composition/script, Blue Lock), China (director, First Line), Yamamoto Ken (director, Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Shin Jidai no Tobira), Kutsuna Kenichi and Fukumoto Tatsuya (SEKIRO: NO DEFEAT), and Obama Yoshihiro and Matsukuma Hiroto (Ao no Hako). After each session, attendees will receive an exclusive “review notebook,” and a social mixer with the instructors will also be held.

Session Schedule

• Session 1 — Scriptwriting (Dec. 19, 2026)
  Kishimoto Taku (series composition & script, Blue Lock)
• Session 2 — Storyboarding (Jan. 9, 2027)
  China (director, First Line) and Yamamoto Ken (director, Uma Musume Pretty Derby: Shin Jidai no Tobira)
• Session 3 — Directing (Jan. 30, 2027)
  Kadowaki Kohei (director, Warera wa Uchuujin)
• Session 4 — Post-Production (Feb. 20, 2027)
  Obama Yoshihiro (online editor, Ao no Hako) and Matsukuma Hiroto (producer, Ao no Hako Season 2)
• Session 5 — Color Grading (Mar. 13, 2027)
  Kutsuna Kenichi (director, SEKIRO: NO DEFEAT) and Fukumoto Tatsuya (color grading, SEKIRO: NO DEFEAT)

Tickets and Pricing

Tickets are sold as an all-five-session pass only, available via the Tachikawa Cinema City official website from midnight on November 15. Pricing is as follows:

• Early Bird (Nov. 15 – Dec. 13, 2026, 23:59): General ¥19,800 / Student ¥17,800
• Standard (Dec. 14, 2026 – Jan. 9, 2027, 15:00): General ¥23,800 / Student ¥19,800

Standard-price tickets are sold through Peatix. The student discount applies to vocational college and university students and below.

Event Details

• Venue: Cinema City Cinema Two / C Studio, Tachikawa, Tokyo
• Chief Instructor: Takase Koji (animation researcher & critic; associate professor, Takarazuka University)
• Guest Instructors: Kadowaki Kohei, Kishimoto Taku, China, Yamamoto Ken, Kutsuna Kenichi, Fukumoto Tatsuya, Obama Yoshihiro, Matsukuma Hiroto