Leiji Matsumoto also honored at May 16 ceremony.
The 26th Annual Japan Movie Critics Awards announced its list of winners at a ceremony on Tuesday. The winners honored films from the 2016 calendar year. Naoko Yamada and Kyoto Animation‘s A Silent Voice (Koe no Katachi) anime film won the Best Animation of the Year Award.
Additionally, Masako Nozawa (Dragon Ball Z) won the Best Animation Voice Actors Award for her role in Kaze no Yō ni and Makoto Shinkaiwon Best Animation Directors Award for his anime film your name. Leiji Matsumoto was awarded the Diamond Grand Prize in the animation category; the prize is awarded to individuals who have made great efforts to support and win fame for Japanese movies internationally.
Previous winners of Best Animation of the Year include The Boy and The Beast, Expelled from Paradise, The Tale of Princess Kaguya, Wolf Children, and the Detective Conan series. Previous winners of the Best Animation Directors Awards include Masakazu Hashimoto, Hiromasa Yonebayashi, Isao Takahata and Hideaki Anno. Manga creator Go Nagai (Devilman, Mazinger Z) won the Diamond Grand Prize in the animation category last year.
Japan started hosting the awards in 1992 after seeing many other countries host similar awards. Before 2010 the awards did not include animation-specific categories. Frequent Studio Ghibli composer Joe Hisaishi won the Best Movie Music Artist Award in 2009.
Source: Mantan Web
Top image: Your Name official website
More from Anime News Network:
Shinkai’s “Your Name” tops South Korean box office with US$8.1 million
Makoto Shinkai Comments on your name.’s 10 Billion Yen Revenue
Anime film Your Name’s director Makoto Shinkai is immortalized in an asteroid’s name
Makoto Shinkai announces new anime movie Suzume no Tojimari
Your Name director Makoto Shinkai, other anime creators invited to join Oscar Academy
10 times to avoid traveling in Japan in 2026
Ramen restaurant’s English menu prices are nearly double its Japanese ones, denies discriminating
Our 52-year-old pole dancing reporter shares his tips for achieving your New Year’s exercise goal
We ate sushi made from Japan’s most expensive tuna ever【Taste test】
Bamboo trees vandalized near Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari shrine, foreign graffiti prevalent
Umamusume anime girl plushie recalled for having parts she absolutely should not have【Pics】
Grand Hyatt Tokyo teaming up with artist Takashi Murakami for adorable take-out afternoon tea set
Japanese thug wear from Birth Japan perfect for those breaking bad next year
Japan’s Self-Defense Forces take “radio calisthenics” to an interesting new level
Nearly one in ten young adults living in Japan isn’t ethnically Japanese, statistics show
Japanese beef bowl chain Sukiya’s 2026 Smile Box lucky bag basically pays for itself
Hayao Miyazaki says Happy New Year to Studio Ghibli fans with new art for Year of the Horse
Starbucks Japan ready to get Year of the Horse started with adorable drinkware and plushies【Pics】
Top Japanese cosplayer Enako returns to Comiket after 6 years, creates mayhem with admirers
Cup Noodle tries an authentic Jiro-style ramen, but something’s not quite right
The best Starbucks Japan Frappuccinos we want to drink again in 2026
We revisited Sweets Paradise after a decade to see if Japan’s dessert buffet still delivers
That time Seiji called JASRAC to ask why he didn’t get paid royalties for his song being on TV
7-Eleven Japan starts new temporary luggage storage service in over 300 branches
Disillusionment at Tsukiji’s tourist-target prices led us to a great ramen restaurant in Tokyo
Starbucks teams up with 166-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Horse decorations【Photos】
Tokyo considering law requiring more trash cans following litter increase in heavily touristed area
Tokyo’s Tsukiji sushi neighborhood asks tour groups to stay away for the rest of the month
Tokyo event lets you travel back in time, for free, to celebrate 100 years since Showa era start
Japan may add Japanese language proficiency, lifestyle classes to permanent foreign resident requirements
Lacquerware supplier to emperor of Japan and Pokémon team up for new tableware
Starbucks Japan releases new zodiac chilled cup drink for 2026
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Updated cherry blossom forecast shows extra-long sakura season for Japan this year
Human washing machine pods coming to Japanese hotels【Photos】
Anime hit Your Name to get Academy Award-qualifying U.S. theatrical run this year
Award-winning novelist theorizes director of Your Name didn’t have a girlfriend in high school
Hit anime film Your Name’s Academy Award qualification run dates officially announced
Gundam creator thinks Makoto Shinkai anime need more female crotch grabbing and/or horniness
Your Name director Makoto Shinkai talks about his next anime film, gives hopeful timeframe
Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name is about to do something no non-Ghibli anime has ever done
Weathering with You is first anime submitted for Best International Film Oscar in over 20 years
Spinoff novel of Shinkai’s Your Name film gets manga in July
New trailer for “your Name.”, newest anime from Makoto Shinkai, is packed with emotion【Video】
Jaw-dropping trailer released for Makoto Shinkai’s new anime movie, Suzume no Tojimari【Video】
Anime industry takes in record 2.0 trillion yen in 2016
Makoto Shinkai’s upcoming anime has a new trailer to make the wait for its release all the harder
Makoto Shinkai’s new anime, Your Name, is a battle between the heart and the head【SoraReview】
Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name passes two Hayao Miyazaki anime’s earnings, box office romp continues
Makoto Shinkai or Mamoru Hosoda, who makes the better anime movies?【Survey】
Leave a Reply