The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has revealed the list of films eligible for the 2025 Oscars in the Best Animated Feature category, and Japan is very well represented!
Among the 31 eligible titles, five stand out for anime fans:
- Look Back , an adaptation of the manga by Tatsuki Fujimoto, produced by Studio Durian;
- The Colors Within , directed by Naoko Yamada in partnership with Science SARU;
- The Imaginary , a Studio Ponoc collaboration based on the novel by A.F. Harrold;
- Ghost Cat Anzu , a 2D production by Yōko Kuno and Nobuhiro Yamashita;
- The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim , by Kenji Kamiyama.
Furthermore, titles such as Transformers One and Ultraman: Rising also represent Japan in the animation genre.
The legacy of anime at the Oscars.
To date, only two anime have won the Best Animated Feature Oscar: Spirited Away (2003) and The Boy and the Crane (2024), both from the iconic Studio Ghibli and directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Will there be a new winner in 2025?
It's worth remembering that films must meet strict requirements, such as being screened in at least one movie theater in the United States by December 31st.
