Taka — Designer path via ThinkingBox, Jam3, and BUCK (career change)
Arrived young without a Japan portfolio; rapid Dribbble practice led to design-agency internships (ThinkingBox → Jam3 → BUCK) with monthsToOffer=1.
デザイナー · Vancouver · ThinkingBox
Profile
Taka is a designer who built a North America agency track from Vancouver/Toronto internships into BUCK (NY), later returning to Japan for further study. Attribute background is 未経験 (career changer into professional design). Age band 20s.
Current role
At interview narrative end: after ~6 months with BUCK (NY office client work remotely from Toronto, freelance framing), returned to Japan to enter Kyoto University of the Arts for a degree. Earlier: ThinkingBox (Vancouver), Jam3 (Toronto internship → permanent offer declined), BUCK.
Japan experience
Japanese university path into media arts (described as an Aichi University–style system; not a fine-arts conservatory). Short digital-design internship at Shiftbrain; received outreach from Apple about a month into that digital-design start (details of outcome not fully expanded as employment). No Dribbble/portfolio before Canada. Pre-departure TOEIC 710; later IELTS 6.5 overall (speaking 7) by arrival. Attribute treats professional design as career change (未経験).
Path to Canada / North America
Contacted Frog ~2018 (age ~20). Entered Langara intending CS then shifted when digital design proved the fit. Built public Dribbble Daily UI work in Canada. ThinkingBox internship arranged around school start; later moved to Jam3 internship on working holiday (WH secured before COVID). Declined Jam3 permanent and a Microsoft offer to join BUCK (~Feb start). Attribute monthsToOffer=1.
Outcome
Completed high-profile agency internships culminating in BUCK (~6 months). Then Japan return for arts-university degree while keeping North America network. Exact long-term employer status beyond that arc is not fixed in the article.
Based on Frog’s Japanese-language interview. English summary for scanning (partners / employers). Original interview (Japanese)
Attribute company=ThinkingBox (first agency). Later Jam3/BUCK from article.