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49th Japan Academy Film Prize Announces Honorary Awards Recipients
posted on by Joanna Cayanan
Director Gisaburō Sugii received the Chairperson's Lifetime Achievement Award, given to filmmakers who have made significant contributions and achieved outstanding results over the years. Sugii directed classic anime films such as Jack to Mame no Ki in 1974, Night on the Galactic Railroad in 1985, and The Tale of Genji in 1987. Sugii also directed Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie in 1994. Sugii is directing N LITE's MFINDA "AFRIME" or "afro-anime" film (image right). The film had its premiere preview screening at the Annecy International Film Festival in 2023.
Actor Tatsuya Nakadai received the posthumous Chairperson's Special Award, in recognition of his outstanding film contributions and achievements. Nakadai is best known for starring as Hidetora Ichimonji in Akira Kurosawa's 1985 film Ran. He also collaborated with director Masaki Kobayashi on numerous films. He played Major Harada in the English-language 1988 film Return from the River Kwai. His final film role was as Makino Tadayuki in The Pass: Last Days of the Samurai in 2020. He also founded the Mumeijuku acting school in 1975. Nakadai's anime roles include Belladonna of Sadness' Devil, Giovanni's Island's Junpei Senō, Final Yamato's Narrator, and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya's Sumiyaki no Rōjin. Nakadai died on November 8 due to pneumonia.
Actress Kazuko Yoshiyuki and director Kazuo Ikehiro were both honored in a Special Remembrance award, honoring those who died in 2025. Yoshiyuki made her film debut in the 1959 film Nian-chan, where she won the Mainichi Film Award for Best Supporting Actress. Yoshiyuki also starred in the 1974 live-action film Lady Snowblood: Love Song of Vengeance as Aya Tokunaga. Yoshiyuki also voiced Toki in Studio Ghibli's Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, and Baaya in When Marnie Was There. Yoshiyuki died on September 2 due to pneumonia.
Film director Kazuo Ikehiro directed several episodes for the live-action series adaptation of Kazuo Koike's Lone Wolf and Cub manga, which aired for 79 episodes from 1973 to 1976. Ikehiro died on October 15 due to myocardial infarction.
The Japan Academy Film Prize Association also announced the winners of the "Awards of Excellence" for the 49th annual Japan Academy Film Prizes on Monday. The Award of Excellence winners for Animated Film include the first Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Infinity Castle anime film, Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc, 100 Meters, Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise, and Detective Conan: One-eyed Flashback. These winners go on as nominees for their respective category's "Best Awards."
The association will reveal the Best Award winners at a ceremony at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo on March 13.
Source: Japan Academy Film Prize Association's website
