The Academy Awards, or as the world knows them, the Oscars, have been considered the biggest accolade in the entertainment industry, but the Japanese anime has not had much luck with them. The Oscars have a specific category for animated movies called the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, which was started in 2001, but as of yet, the anime industry has only won twice.
The first one was won by Spirited Away during the 75th Academy Awards, and the second was won by The Boy and the Heron during the 96th Academy Awards. Both of them were a production of Studio Ghibli and were created by Hayao Miyazaki, a legend in the game. However, there are still some other movies that, according to fans, deserve an Oscar or at least an Oscar nomination.
These movies have done exceptionally well in terms of storyline, characters, development, animation, etc. But they couldn’t get the attention that was needed to reach the level of the Oscars.
1. Howl’s Moving Castle
Another creation of Hayao Miyazaki, Howl’s Moving Castle is considered to be one of the best productions of Studio Ghibli. The story follows the adventures of Sophie through a fictional kingdom as she encounters a wizard named Howl who guides her through one of the biggest and weirdest problems of her life.
Howl’s Moving Castle has earned a lot of fame and recognition on a global level. The movie even received an Oscar nomination in 2005 but could not win the award.
However, the series has earned multiple other accolades, like the Osella Awards for Technical Achievement at the Venice Film Festival, Animation of the Year at the Tokyo Anime Awards, Best Script at the Nebula Awards, etc.
2. Demon Slayer: Mugen Train
The first movie of the Demon Slayer franchise, Demon Slayer: Mugen Train, was the gem of the new era of animation. The movie was based on the “Mugen Train” arc of Koyoharu Gotouge’s Demon Slayer manga, which is considered to be one of the best anime and manga series of all time.
Demon Slayer: Mugen Train had the potential to not only get nominated but also win an Oscar. This was because the movie not only became the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time but also the first foreign film to be the highest-grossing film of its year.
Secondly, it crossed Spirited Away as the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time. The movie also won multiple accolades, including Animation of the Year at the 44th Japan Academy Film Prize, Best Film at the 6th Crunchyroll Anime Awards, etc.
3. Princess Mononoke
One of the earliest Studio Ghibli productions, Princess Mononoke was one of the main pillars that helped in creating the foundation of the anime industry on a global scale. The movie follows the journey of an Emishi prince named Ashitaka who battles the industrialization of a forest filled with mythical elements.
Princess Mononoke’s popularity stems from the fact that it became the highest-grossing film in Japan in 1997 and kept the record until 2001. The movie was even submitted for Best International Feature Film. The film won Picture of the Year at the 21st Japan Academy Film Prize, Best Animation film at the 52nd Mainichi Film Awards, etc.
4. A Silent Voice
A Silent Voice follows the story of a relationship between Shoko Nishimiya and Shoya Ishida as they both deal with the troubles of life. The movie laid a special emphasis on the concept of bullying and the impact it has on students with disabilities.
A Silent Voice was produced by Kyoto Animation, and it won the Japanese Movie Critics Awards for Best Animated Feature Film. The movie is one of the best Kyoto Animation productions, as it excels in almost every aspect.
It also won the Japan Academy Film Prize for Excellent Animation of the Year and the Tokyo Anime Award Festival for Anime of the Year and Best Screenplay.
5. The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
Based on Japanese folklore, The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya tells the story of a tiny girl who is discovered by an old man and his wife inside a piece of bamboo. Her growth is the central narrative of the series that earned the movie a nomination at the 87th Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature.
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was also produced by Studio Ghibli and is considered by many one of the greatest animated films of all time, and it was also the most expensive Japanese film.
The movie won the 8th Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Animated Feature Film, the 35th Boston Society of Film Critics Awards for Best Animated Film, the Toronto Film Critics Award for Best Animated Feature, etc.
