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King of Thorn, Mai Mai, Oblivion Island Get APSA Nods

posted on by Egan Loo
Asia Pacific Screen Awards' Best Animated Film winner announced on December 2

Australia's Queenland, UNESCO, and the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) have announced the nominations for the 2010 Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) on Monday. Kazuyoshi Katayama and Sunrise's King of Thorn, Sunao Katabuchi and Madhouse's Mai Mai Miracle, and Shinsuke Sato and Production I.G's Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror are all vying for the award in the Best Animated Feature Film category. Zack Synder's Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole and Liu Jian's Piercing I were also nominated in the category.

The film version of Iwahara's King of Thorn manga follows Kasumi, a girl who was infected by a pandemic virus along with her twin sister Shizuku. Kasumi — but not Shizuku — was chosen to be among 159 other people who were placed into cryogenic suspension until a cure is found. The 160 wake up in the dark future populated by monsters, and Kasumi must survive while she searches for clues on what happened to the world and her sister.

After directing Black Lagoon, Katabuchi adapted Nobuko Takagi's Mai Mai Miracle (Mai Mai Shinko to Sennen no Mahō) novel about a nine-year girl and a new transfer student embarking on a magical adventure. The story is set in 1955 in southwestern Japan and focuses on two children named Shinko and Kiiko. Shinko has an ancient family connection to an important figure who lived a thousand years ago. Together, Shinko and Kiiko go on a journey to discover the history of their town.

Sato directed Oblivion Island: Haruka and the Magic Mirror before he took on the upcoming live-action Gantz films. Oblivion Island is Production I.G's first 3D computer-animated feature. The film focuses on Haruka, an only daughter living with an emotional distant father. One day at a local shrine she encounters a small magical creature that takes her to the land of forgotten items. Here, she finds memorabilia from her childhood and the Baron, the ruler of Oblivion Island who has been watching her.

The ceremony for the fourth annual APSA will be held on December 2 at Australia's Gold Coast. This year's awards will honor films from 70 countries and areas. Summer Wars, The Sky Crawlers, and First Squad - The Moment Of Truth competed in last year's awards but the Australian film Mary and Max won the Best Animated Feature Film award. Makoto Shinkai's 5 Centimeters Per Second won Japan's first and only award in the category during the first APSA in 2007.

Source: animeanime.jp

Images © Yuji Iwahara, Enterbrain, Inc./Ibara Committee
© 2009 Nobuko Takagi/Magazine House/"Maimaishinko" Film Committee
© 2009 Fuji Television Network / Production I.G / Dentsu / Pony Canyon


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