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Demon Slayer, Violet Evergarden, More Nominated for 44th Japan Academy Film Prizes

The Japan Academy Film Prize Association for excellence in film announced the nominees for the 44th annual awards on Wednesday. The five movies that have been nominated for Animation of the Year are:

Violet Evergarden: The Movie

Poupelle of Chimney Town

Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train

Josee, The Tiger and the Fish

Stand By Me Doraemon 2

Both Yuki Kajiura and Gō Shiina are nominated for the Best Music award for their work on the Demon Slayer – Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Mugen Train anime film. Ren Nagase was also nominated for Best New Actor for his role as Sakamichi Onoda in the live-action film adaptation of the Yowamushi Pedal manga.

Illustrator and anime director Yoshikazu Yasuhiko (Mobile Suit Gundam character design and chief animation director, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Origin creator and anime director) will receive a Special Award from the Association for lifetime achievement with illustrator Matsuo Ikehata and gun effects and weapon advisor Kikuo Notomi. Actress Kazuko Yoshiyuki (Ponyo, When Marnie Was There) will also receive a Special Award from the Chairperson for lifetime achievement.

Film director Nobuhiko Ōbayashi (Shōnen Keniya, live-action The Drifting Classroom, live-action 1983 The Girl Who Leapt Through Time) and actor Tetsuya Watari (Sangokushi [1]: Eiyū-tachi no Yoake) are among the three individuals who will receive posthumous Special Awards from the Chairperson for lifetime achievement. The late Toei Group Chairperson Yūsuke Okada will also receive a Special Award of Honor from the Association.

The Nippon Academy-Sho Association, a Japanese group roughly comparable to America's Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of Oscars fame, presents the Japan Academy Film Prizes every year. The nominees all receive "Awards of Excellence," but the actual top award in each category will be presented in a ceremony on March 19 at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo.

Movies are eligible if they opened in Japan between December 16, 2019, and December 15, 2020.

The Animation of the Year category was only created 14 years ago. Last year, Weathering With You won the award. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Tekkonkinkreet, Ponyo, Summer Wars, The Secret World of Arrietty, From Up On Poppy Hill, Wolf Children, The Wind Rises, Stand By Me Doraemon, The Boy and The Beast, In This Corner of the World, Night is Short, Walk On Girl, and Mirai were the previous winners. Before that, Studio Ghibli won the overall Picture of the Year Award for Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away.

Sources: Japan Academy Film Prize Association, The Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web