Awards season in
the animation industry has officially begun. The organization of the Annie
Awards, considered the "Oscars of animation", has revealed the
list of candidates for its 53rd edition, which will be held
on February 21, 2026 at UCLA's Royce Hall in Los Angeles. This
year, anime has a dominant presence with high-caliber titles competing in
technical and creative categories.
Veteran
director Mamoru Hosoda and his company, Studio CHIZU, have
positioned themselves as the great favorites of the Japanese block. His
film Scarlet has achieved a total of three key nominations,
demonstrating the auteur quality of the filmmaker.
The film will
compete for the award for Best Independent Film, Best
Screenplay and Best Director in a feature film. This
recognition consolidates Hosoda as one of the recurring favorites of
international critics.
Two of the most
explosive titles of the year have been specifically recognized for their
direction, a testament to the high visual level of modern anime. The
long-awaited film Chainsaw Man - The Movie: Reze Arc has managed
to get its director, Tatsuya Yoshihara, nominated in the category
of Best Director in a Feature Film, competing directly with Western
productions.
For his part, the
television phenomenon DAN DA DAN has also shone. The team
formed by Fuga Yamashiro and Abel Góngora has
been nominated for Best Directing in TV/Media for the episode
"Clash! Space Kaiju vs. Giant Robot!", highlighting the frenetic
action and unique style of the series.
Star Wars,
Video Games & More
The list of
nominees is completed with other productions related to the Japanese industry:
- Star Wars: Visions - Volume 3: Nominated for Best Limited Series for
the episode "BLACK" (from David Production) and for Best
Effects (FX) for "The Bird of Paradise" (from Polygon
Pictures).
- Devil May Cry: The animated series competes for Best
Music for the episode "The First Circle".
- Death Stranding 2: On the Beach: Recognized in the category of Best
Character Animation in Video Game.
