Aside from becoming a box office hit in the US, Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron also became the first anime film to win a Golden Globe.
The 81st Golden Globe Awards happened yesterday, and it was a momentous event for the anime industry even before it began. After all, two anime from 2023 were nominated in the Best Animated Feature Film category.
During the event, it was Miyazaki’s first film in a decade that took home the honor.
The Boy and the Heron Makes Anime History
Hayao Miyazaki is no stranger to awards. After all, his film, Spirited Away, became the first anime film to win an Academy Award.
Aside from mainstream US film awards, Miyazaki is also a decorated director in the film festival circuit. For instance, Spirited Away took home the prestigious Golden Bear at the 2002 Berlin International Film Festival.
Miyazaki’s latest film was also honored in various film festivals in the second half of 2023. Now though, with the US film awards season in full swing, The Boy and the Heron won its first major US award.
Heron won the Best Animated Feature Film award over other notable movies like Makoto Shinkai’s Suzume and Across the Spider-Verse. This makes the film the first anime to win a Golden Globe in the animated feature category.
Following its win, Ghibli Co-Founder Toshio Suzuki shared a special message via GKIDS.
There, Suzuki acknowledged the series of tragic events in Japan during the first week of 2024, including the deadly earthquake that hit Ishikawa prefecture.
Suzuki also hoped that the film’s win would bring a smile to people’s faces. He ended by thanking the Golden Globes for the honor.
With the film’s win, more awards may be in store for the latest Ghibli movie.
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The Boy and the Heron: Possibly an Early Oscar Favorite
The Boy and the Heron has also been nominated for various awards, including the Critics' Choice Movie Awards. It has also been shortlisted for the 2024 Academy Awards.
While the Golden Globes may not be a perfect indicator of Oscar winners, it is still a good indicator of the films that will get awarded at the Academy Awards.
Given the film’s great critical reception coupled with its Golden Globe win, The Boy and the Heron is shaping up to be a strong contender for another Best Animated Feature Award.
Fans who have yet to see Miyazaki’s latest film can still do so in select cinemas in the US.
Get the latest anime news and info by following us on Twitter @epicstreamanime.
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