Thanks for the advice. Since it’s been a bit, I thought I’d post another update. I’ve been thinking over and researching my options. I’ve actually started the wheels of motion, and sent in a re-entry form to my university with the intended major of Japanese.

So while I’m still considering the above options, here’s a new option C.
C) I major in Japanese. Goal being to get a bachelor’s and teach English for a few years, and then transition into a localization or translation job once I’m more fluent with the language. Ideally I’d want to localize video games for the Japanese market or vice versa. To my knowledge, there limited jobs for this both in US and Japan. So if I decide I want to go back to the states, there’s still a job market. I assume these positions are hard to get and get filled quickly? I’m only guessing. Worst case scenario is that I find some other translation job (I’m sure there’s got to be something). But I’d be lying if I said that this Option C wasn’t the option I was leaning towards the most at the moment.

I realize that getting a bachelors in art would probably make more sense and take less time (as more credits would transfer), but I can’t deny the fact that lately I’ve been devoting more time to my Japanese than my art. I figure I’m going to try out the Japanese major. The first year at least would be a light class load since my GERs are basically done. This will give me time to work on my 3D Art still just in-case. Because eventually I feel I will have to make the choice of either going full Japanese focus or full art focus. One will eventually overtake the other. Maybe I’m wrong? But 3D can take a lot of time.

Now, back to option C. I hear Japan looks at age a bit for teaching jobs and that if you want to teach at a university level, you would need to go to grad school. I don’t want to teach at a university level, I was just examining the possible career paths. I just want to teach for 3-5 years or whatever, and then move onto something like localization of games. Hopefully I wouldn’t need to go to grad school for that? So about the age thing – I’m 23 now. Assuming I’d be 27 before I move to work in Japan. Will that be too old for the teaching jobs? Or is that still young for Japan?

This topic has been really helpful, btw. I know every post is just an opinion, but sometimes that’s what you need to just bounce stuff back and forth.

Well this topic has certainly evolved, haha. That’s good though, lots of interesting info here.

Since it seems like I need a 4 year degree (or at least it makes it much easier) to work in Japan, that’s really going to be my biggest decision I’m thinking about now.

Do I:
A) Just continue focusing on art(already have an associates) while studying Japanese as a hobby (taking tourist trips)
B) Go back to school for 2-3years to get a Bachelors in Japanese while doing art on the side. I know people said to not major in Japanese, but I feel I would rather do that than to get a bachelors in art. For art jobs, degrees don’t really matter. They want to see your portfolio. So that’s why I’d rather major in Japanese. This would be a very big change for me, so it is a very difficult decision to make. Going to school for another 2-3 years doesn’t sound awesome, but working in Japan does.

Another possibility, is I hear you need a Bachelors or Bachelors equivilent. I wonder how they’d accept having 2 associates instead haha. For example, if I just got a minor in Japanese.