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
The average age of Japan’s hikikomori shut-ins is getting older, survey shows
Studio Ghibli releases crystal glass paperweights featuring Totoro and the Catbus
Japan’s new Pokémon jackets give you the look and powers of the Kanto starter trio
Samurai Coffee: Try Edo period coffee once enjoyed by Japanese warriors
Sega opening 65th anniversary store in downtotn Tokyo with deep-cut game merch
Japan enters Golden Week vacation period, survey shows one in three plan to ride it out at home
Studio Ghibli releases new anime keychains that are like miniature figurines
Viral tweet suggests Japanese convenience store ripping off customers with donuts, so we investigate
Lipton releases… Pudding Milk Tea in Japan?!?
Retro-style Evangelion T-shirts coming to Uniqlo sister brand GU[Photos]
Brand-new Square Enix Cafe to open in Tokyo…and in Los Angeles too!
New Kyoto Converse sneakers celebrate Japan with traditional kimono fabrics for your feet
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Hello Kitty is now a transforming truck robot[Photos]
Dorayaki from 89-year-old Japanese confectionery shop is one of the best sweets hidden in Tokyo
What are the worst things about living in the Japanese countryside?[Survey]
Tifa’s Final Fantasy VII bar is going to pop up in real-world Tokyo
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Wisteria season starts early with blooming of Japan’s Great Wisteria in its beautiful garden
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Japan’s best conveyor belt sushi restaurant of seven years ago has now, finally, come to Tokyo
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
Injuries on stairs in Tokyo highlight an overlooked design flaw
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
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
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
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】