"The Wind Rises" Takes Animation Prize at Japan Academy Awards

The Nippon Academy-Sho Association has announced the winners of its 37th Japan Academy Prize, often referred to as the Japanese Academy Awards. Hayao Miyazaki's The Wind Rises won the Prize for Animation of the Year, the 2nd prize for Miyazaki and fourth for Studio Ghibli.

 

The Animation of the Year prize was introduced in 2007. Prior to that, Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away were nominated for Picture of the Year. Kiki's Delivery Service and Ghibli co-founder Isao Takahata's Pom Poko received no nomination, but were honored with Special Awards.

 

The leading male performer award went to Ryuhei Matsuda, who anime/manga fans may know for adaptations of Taiyo Matsumoto's Blue Spring and Go Nagai's Cutie Honey. The award for female lead went to Yōko Maki, who appeared in American Ju-on remake The Grudge.

 

 

Winner and nominees included:

 

Picture of the Year:

The Great Passage - winner
The Devil's Path
A Boy Called H
Like Father, Like Son
Tōkyō Kazoku
Ask This of Rikyu

Animation of the Year:

The Wind Rises - winner
The Tale of Princess Kaguya
Space Pirate Captain Harlock
Puella Magi Madoka Magica the Movie: Rebellion
Lupin the 3rd vs. Detective Conan: The Movie

Director of the Year:
Yuyua Ishii – The Great Passage - winner
Hirokazu Koreeda – Like Father, Like Son
Kazuya Shiraishi – The Devil's Path
Kōki Mitani – The Kiyosu Conference
Yoji Yamada – Tōkyō Kazoku

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a leading role:

Ryuhei Matsuda – The Great Passage - winner
Ichikawa Ebizō XI – Ask This of Rikyu
Isao Hashizume – Tōkyō Kazoku
Masaharu Fukuyama – Like Father, Like Son
Ken Watanabe – Unforgiven

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a leading role:

Yōko Maki – The Ravine of Goodbye - winner
Aya Ueto – Bushi no Kondate
Machiko Ono – Like Father, Like Son
Aoi Miyazaki – The Great Passage
Kazuko Yoshiyuki – Tōkyō Kazoku

 

Foreign Film

Les Miserables - Winner

Django

India's 3 Idiots

Captain Phillips

Gravity

 

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Scott Green is editor and reporter for anime and manga at geek entertainment site Ain't It Cool News. Follow him on Twitter at @aicnanime.