Outrage has
taken over social media following the Academy's announcement. The nominations
for the 2026 Oscars for animation were revealed today, January 22,
confirming what many feared: Hollywood still has no respect for commercial
Japanese anime. Despite breaking world records, Japan has been left out of the
party.
Kimetsu
no Yaiba out of the nominations for the 2026 Oscar in animation
The most
painful absence is, without a doubt, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba –
Infinity Castle. The ufotable film was not only a cultural
phenomenon, but a financial titan with 779 million dollars at the global
box office. However, the Academy preferred to ignore its impact and technical
quality.
The same fate befell MAPPA's Chainsaw Man: The Movie – Reze Arc. Both films were eligible, but the "anti-anime wall" (which only seems to have a door for Studio Ghibli) was erected again.
The
irony of the "K-Pop Demon Hunters"
What has
ignited fans the most is the inclusion of KPop Demon Hunters from
Sony and Netflix. A Western film about demon hunting made the list, while
Japan's original demon hunters were excluded. The final list of nominees
was as follows:
- Arc (Science fiction about time travel).
- Elio (Pixar's
Cosmic Bet).
- KPop Demon Hunters (Sony/Netflix action
musical).
- Little Amélie or the Character
of Rain (The
European/artistic quota).
- Zootopia
2 (Disney's commercial sequel).
