Anime & Manga News

Animation of the Year Nominees of the 39th Japan Academy Prize

by arsonal
Jan 17, 2016 11:56 PM | 53 Comments
The Japan Academy Prize Association has announced its nominees for the Animation of the Year award in the 39th edition of the annual ceremony. The Animation of the Year award was made a separate category from the Picture of the Year award in 2007. Nominated works must have opened in theaters in Japan between December 14, 2014 and December 15, 2015.


The award ceremony will be held on March 4, 2016 at Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo. Tickets for the ceremony and gala dinner will go on sale on February 6 and cost ¥40,000 each.

Source: Official website

20 of 53 Comments Recent Comments

Objectively Miss Hokusai is superior.
But Love Live is too popular to lose.

Jan 29, 2016 12:49 PM by imouto4oniichan

Not a bad list here are my top 3 picks from the nominees:

3. Bakemono no Ko
2. Sarusuberi: Miss Hokusai
1. Dragon Ball Z Movie 15: Fukkatsu no F

Hopefully one of these 3 wins AotY.

Jan 25, 2016 6:50 PM by TornadoTheDragon

I have nothing against LL, but if it does end up winning... my trust on JA will pummel

Jan 20, 2016 4:56 PM by Ioryogi-kun

bigivelfhq said:
jayvee2016 said:


Love Live is 2.84B now. I wonder why they didn't include the sales outside of Japan though. it could reach 3.5B or more if they do.


Ah! OK.

Outside of Japan Love Live! making more than half of Inside? Unless in other places of Asia the series is as excessively loved I totally can't see that happening.


I don't have the complete gross of the movie for all countries so I can't back my claim with evidence yet but at South Korea, Love Live was received pretty good. It even beat Evangelion there! So far µ's did a lot of miracles, I won't be suprised if they reach 3.5B total

Jan 19, 2016 6:33 PM by jayvee2016

jayvee2016 said:
bigivelfhq said:


Miss Hokusai is a Production I.G Movie, not Sunrise. And I have here the data and this is definitely the first time for Sunrise. Here the other years:



About the box-office you practically right, we have :

5.74 Billion Yen - The Boy and the Beast
3.74 Billion Yen - Dragon Ball Z: Ressurection 'F'(but 7.7 Billion Yen Internationally, Japan included)
2.08 Billion Yen - Love Live! The School Idol Movie
0.66 Billion Yen - The Anthem of the Heart
143,612 Dollars(Only data that is from the 1st day sales, around 16.86 Million yen) - Miss Hokusai


Love Live is 2.84B now. I wonder why they didn't include the sales outside of Japan though. it could reach 3.5B or more if they do.


Ah! OK.

Outside of Japan Love Live! making more than half of Inside? Unless in other places of Asia the series is as excessively loved I totally can't see that happening.

Jan 19, 2016 3:33 PM by bigivelfhq

bigivelfhq said:
Kaioshin_Sama said:
I dont think its the first time for Sunrise who also managed to get two movies on this list this year in Love Live and Miss Hokusai. They're so much better received as a producer in Japan and Asia compared to the west now its not even funny though mainstream critics seem to give them some respect since they're literally the only other studio aside from Ghibli to receive an Oscar nod though they didnt win in either case and god help Ghibli if Disney hadn't been struggling at the time I'm not sure Spirited Away would have won either. In any case people dont seem to realize that Love Live isnt even the highest grossing of those movies. I know it goes Bakemono then DBZ then Love Live then Anthem then Hokusai as a very distant 5th. I believe but am not 100% sure off the top of my head that the numbers in billions are 5.5 then 3.5 then 2.8 then 1.1 then some statistically irrelevant amount for Miss Hokusai. Love Live and Anthem also had some massive incentive campaigns to get repeat viewers that padded their numbers out unlike the other 3


Miss Hokusai is a Production I.G Movie, not Sunrise. And I have here the data and this is definitely the first time for Sunrise. Here the other years:



About the box-office you practically right, we have :

5.74 Billion Yen - The Boy and the Beast
3.74 Billion Yen - Dragon Ball Z: Ressurection 'F'(but 7.7 Billion Yen Internationally, Japan included)
2.08 Billion Yen - Love Live! The School Idol Movie
0.66 Billion Yen - The Anthem of the Heart
143,612 Dollars(Only data that is from the 1st day sales, around 16.86 Million yen) - Miss Hokusai


Love Live is 2.84B now. I wonder why they didn't include the sales outside of Japan though. it could reach 3.5B or more if they do.

Jan 19, 2016 3:11 PM by jayvee2016

Looking at the data again, Toei didn't do 5 in a row, but 6 in a row. If things continue next year(in fact this year), that most definitely will with One Piece Film Gold, Toei will have the record of 7 consecutive Excellence awards. Right now TMS Entertainment also has 6 excellence awards in a row.

I also hope that next year One Piece Film Gold is able to win the Grand Prize.

Jan 19, 2016 1:04 PM by bigivelfhq

Kaioshin_Sama said:
I dont think its the first time for Sunrise who also managed to get two movies on this list this year in Love Live and Miss Hokusai. They're so much better received as a producer in Japan and Asia compared to the west now its not even funny though mainstream critics seem to give them some respect since they're literally the only other studio aside from Ghibli to receive an Oscar nod though they didnt win in either case and god help Ghibli if Disney hadn't been struggling at the time I'm not sure Spirited Away would have won either. In any case people dont seem to realize that Love Live isnt even the highest grossing of those movies. I know it goes Bakemono then DBZ then Love Live then Anthem then Hokusai as a very distant 5th. I believe but am not 100% sure off the top of my head that the numbers in billions are 5.5 then 3.5 then 2.8 then 1.1 then some statistically irrelevant amount for Miss Hokusai. Love Live and Anthem also had some massive incentive campaigns to get repeat viewers that padded their numbers out unlike the other 3


Miss Hokusai is a Production I.G Movie, not Sunrise. And I have here the data and this is definitely the first time for Sunrise. Here the other years:



About the box-office you practically right, we have :

5.74 Billion Yen - The Boy and the Beast
3.74 Billion Yen - Dragon Ball Z: Ressurection 'F'(but 7.7 Billion Yen Internationally, Japan included)
2.08 Billion Yen - Love Live! The School Idol Movie
0.66 Billion Yen - The Anthem of the Heart
143,612 Dollars(Only data that is from the 1st day sales, around 16.86 Million yen) - Miss Hokusai

Jan 19, 2016 12:18 PM by bigivelfhq

ew, i hope DBZ doesn't make it. and idol too for that matter, but i doubt it. japan loves that stuff.

the first one seems interesting and the beast boy thingie i was always hyped into seeing just by the promo pics.

Jan 19, 2016 11:52 AM by TomDay

I dont think its the first time for Sunrise who also managed to get two movies on this list this year in Love Live and Miss Hokusai. They're so much better received as a producer in Japan and Asia compared to the west now its not even funny though mainstream critics seem to give them some respect since they're literally the only other studio aside from Ghibli to receive an Oscar nod though they didnt win in either case and god help Ghibli if Disney hadn't been struggling at the time I'm not sure Spirited Away would have won either. In any case people dont seem to realize that Love Live isnt even the highest grossing of those movies. I know it goes Bakemono then DBZ then Love Live then Anthem then Hokusai as a very distant 5th. I believe but am not 100% sure off the top of my head that the numbers in billions are 5.5 then 3.5 then 2.8 then 1.1 then some statistically irrelevant amount for Miss Hokusai. Love Live and Anthem also had some massive incentive campaigns to get repeat viewers that padded their numbers out unlike the other 3

Jan 19, 2016 11:38 AM by PeacingOut

With this Toei Animation was able to get 5 times in a row an Excellence award. Next Year with the One Piece Film Gold they will definitely get another one, and maybe even win the grand prize.

I believe this year Boy and the Beast or Miss Hokusai will be the winner.

Also congratulations to both A-1 Pictures and Sunrise that were able for the first time get the Excellence Award.

Jan 19, 2016 10:21 AM by bigivelfhq

If I judge it using the covers, Love Live surely wins with its colorful animation.

Jan 19, 2016 4:34 AM by keimaconquesta

semss said:
UpperCat said:
All of them look like a great movie. The only one i have seen is Dragon Ball, well it's pretty good imo, at least we can still enjoy the action scenes. I doubt it will win this tbh but who knows.
Bakemono no ko win my vote since all of mamoru hosoda's previous works are great so i think this one is good as well. I hope it can win

heee, is that DB movie really worth watching o.O mate?? owh action scenes i see

Yeah the action scenes are worth watching imo, well overall it it typical Dragon Ball movies, you know the villain got punched on the face something like that but this time with decent animations.

Jan 19, 2016 3:49 AM by UpperCat

UpperCat said:
All of them look like a great movie. The only one i have seen is Dragon Ball, well it's pretty good imo, at least we can still enjoy the action scenes. I doubt it will win this tbh but who knows.
Bakemono no ko win my vote since all of mamoru hosoda's previous works are great so i think this one is good as well. I hope it can win

heee, is that DB movie really worth watching o.O mate?? owh action scenes i see

Jan 19, 2016 3:45 AM by karambia

All of them look like a great movie. The only one i have seen is Dragon Ball, well it's pretty good imo, at least we can still enjoy the action scenes. I doubt it will win this tbh but who knows.
Bakemono no ko win my vote since all of mamoru hosoda's previous works are great so i think this one is good as well. I hope it can win

Jan 18, 2016 11:25 PM by UpperCat

Even though i'm a Love Live trash and hoping the movie gets an award, im not sure if it really deserves it. #LoveLive

Jan 18, 2016 7:07 PM by TheBasedMaki

Seems like Love Live! would make it since the fandom is too big lol

Jan 18, 2016 6:06 PM by misachin

The only ones that strike me as actual serious picks that ought to be in contention are Miss Hokusai and Boy and The Beast. When stuff like Expelled From Paradise can win awards like this nowadays though literally anything is possible. The way things are nowadays with the whole animation industry feeling like it revolves around whatever A-1 has going on there's a legitimate chance that Anthem of The Heart is in contention now too just for that affiliation factor alone. Guess we'll see in a couple months, but really 2015 was piss weak for movies even compared to 2014 which had excellent ones like Kaguya-Hime no Monogatari and even fun sci-fi throwbacks like Yamato Ark of The Stars. I just hope Miss Hokusai gets subs at some point, if there's been any film I've wanted to see since I saw it's trailer it'd be that one

Jan 18, 2016 5:51 PM by PeacingOut

Hurray to the school idols! I am a µ's fan so I really want them to win.. but what are the criteria for winning this? If it is for BD sales then LL will win without a doubt but I don't think it is about that at all.

Jan 18, 2016 2:53 PM by jayvee2016

I will be damned if Love Live doesn't win. But recalling how K-On! missed out due to From Up on Poppy Hill, I am expecting Bakemono no Ko to do the same.

Aesthetically and from cinematographic point of view, K-On! Movie is head and shoulder above Love Live! Movie but I loved both movies almost equally because of the characters. So, I will hope Love Live! actually get some recognition from the critics. :)

Jan 18, 2016 12:48 PM by shanimebib

It’s time to ditch the text file.
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