# Tokyo Anime Award

The Tokyo Anime Awards started in 2002, but was named in 2005. The first, second and third award ceremonies were simply named 'Competition'. The award ceremonies were held at the Tokyo International Anime Fair (TAF) until 2013. In 2014, after the merger of the Tokyo International Anime Fair with the Anime Contents Expo and the formation of the AnimeJapan convention, the Tokyo Anime Awards was changed into a separate festival called Tokyo Anime Awards Festival (TAAF).
Notably, there are Open Entry Awards for amateur creators (the Grand Prize winner is awarded with one million yen). Though there are ten main judges, the total number of judges is over one hundred people. Various groups participate in judging the festival, such as anime studio staff members, professors of universities, as well as producers and chief editors of various magazines. (See also: Animation Kobe).

## Animation of the Year

All anime released from December 1 of the year before the festival to November 30 of the current year in Japan become candidates. The anime that best represents the category it was nominated in is chosen as the winner of that category.
In the first year of the celebration, the award was given to Spirited Away as 'Grand Prix'. In the second year, there was no Animation of the Year award; therefore, the 'Best Entry Awards' in the 'Notable Entries' are often recognized as 'Grand Prix', they were: Millennium Actress (film), Hanada Shōnen-shi (TV) and Sentō Yōsei Yukikaze (OVA)
Since 2014, Tokyo Anime Award Festival has given an Anime of the Year Grand Prize in two categories, Film and Television.
Tokyo Anime Award :
| Year | Winner | Note |
| 2002 | Spirited Away | Grand Prix |
| 2003 | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| 2004 | Mobile Suit Gundam Seed | |
| 2005 | Howl's Moving Castle | |
| 2006 | Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa | |
| 2007 | The Girl Who Leapt Through Time | |
| 2008 | Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone | |
| 2009 | Ponyo | |
| 2010 | Summer Wars | |
| 2011 | The Secret World of Arrietty | |
| 2012 | From up on Poppy Hill | |
| 2013 | Wolf Children | |
| Tokyo Anime Award Festival |||
| 2014 | The Wind Rises | Film Category |
| 2014 | Attack on Titan | Television Category |
| 2015 | Frozen | Film Category |
| 2015 | Ping Pong the Animation | Television Category |
| 2016 | Love Live! The School Idol Movie | Film Category |
| 2016 | Shirobako | Television Category |
| 2017 | A Silent Voice | Film Category |
| 2017 | Yuri!!! on Ice | Television Category |
| 2018 | In This Corner of the World | Film Category |
| 2018 | Kemono Friends | Television Category |
| 2019 | Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer | Film Category |
| 2019 | Zombie Land Saga | Television Category |
| 2020 | Weathering with You | Film Category |
| 2020 | Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba | Television Category |
| 2021 | Violet Evergarden: The Movie | Film Category |
| 2021 | Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! | Television Category |
| 2022 | Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time | Film Category |
| 2022 | Jujutsu Kaisen | Television Category |
| 2023 | One Piece Film: Red | Film Category |
| 2023 | Spy × Family | Television Category |
| 2024 | The First Slam Dunk | Film Category |
| 2024 | Oshi no Ko | Television Category |
| 2025 | Look Back | Film Category |
| 2025 | Frieren: Beyond Journey's End | Television Category |

### Notes

    a. ^ Anime of the Year Grand Prize for Best Picture

## Anime Fan Award

Picking from over 300-400 titles from television and films, anime fans vote from the candidate pool to pick the best 100 from those titles, with 20 of these titles being films and 80 being television titles. Fans then participate in a runoff vote in order to determine a recipient amongst the 100 chosen titles for the Anime Fan Award.
Initial qualifications to become candidates required titles to have aired from November of the year before the festival to October of the current year in Japan. However, this has since been twice changed — first in 2017 to be from October to October, and again in 2020 to be from October to September.
Tokyo Anime Award Festival :
| Year | Winner | Note |
| 2014 | Danball Senki Wars | |
| 2015 | Tiger & Bunny: The Rising | |
| 2016 | Gintama | |
| 2017 | Yuri on Ice | The only title to win the award twice consecutively. |
| 2018 | Yuri on Ice | The only title to win the award twice consecutively. |
| 2019 | Banana Fish | |
| 2020 | Uta no Prince-Sama: Maji Love Kingdom | |
| 2021 | Idolish7: Second Beat! | |
| 2022 | Idolish7: Third Beat! | Only applies to the 1st Cour. |
| 2023 | Mechamato | The first non-Japanese-produced animation to win in this category. |
| 2024 | Idolish7 The Movie: Live 4bit Beyond The Period | |
| 2025 | Birth of Kitarō: The Mystery of GeGeGe | |

## Open Entries / Competition Grand Prize

The awards for the creator of the non-commercialized work for TV, movie and OVA, to find new talents and to provide support for subsequent commercialization. The work must be an animation longer than 15 seconds, and no longer than 30 minutes. If the work was not commercialized before, professional creator also can enter this Grand Prize. The 2007 winner, Flutter, was the first work from a non-Asian country to win this award.
Tokyo Anime Award :
| Year | Winner | Title | Note |
| 2002 | Youhei Takamatsu | Tokyo Animarathon | |
| 2003 | Jung Min-Young | Say My Name | |
| 2004 | Han Tae-Ho | Africa a.F.r.I.c.A | |
| 2005 | Shin Hosokawa | The Demon | |
| 2006 | Kazuo Ebisawa | Crow that wears clothes | |
| 2007 | Howie Shia | Flutter | |
| 2008 | Helen Huang | Adventures in the NPM | |
| 2009 | Heiko van der Scherm | Descendants | |
| 2010 | G9+1 | Tokyo Fantasia | |
| 2011 | Alice Dieudonne | Trois petits points | |
| 2012 | Chen Xifeng | Pig Sale | |
| 2013 | Tsai Shiu-Cheng | Time of Cherry Blossoms | |
| Tokyo Anime Award Festival ||||
| 2014 | Ari Folman | The Congress | Featured Film Category |
| 2014 | Augusto Zanovello | Lettres de femmes | Short Film Category |
| 2015 | Tomm Moore | Song of the Sea | Featured Film Category |
| 2015 | Konstantin Bronzit | We Can't Live Without Cosmos | Short Film Category |
| 2016 | Rémi Chayé | Long Way North | Featured Film Category |
| 2016 | Siniša Mataić | Off Belay | Short Film Category |
| 2017 | Sébastien Laudenbach | The Girl Without Hands | Feature Film Category |
| 2017 | Elice Meng | Of Shadows and Wings... | Short Film Category |
| 2018 | Hsin Yin Sung | On Happiness Road | Feature Film Category |
| 2018 | Ru Kuwahata, Max Porter | Negative Space | Short Film Category |
| 2019 | Raúl de la Fuente, Damian Nenow | Another Day of Life | Feature Film Category |
| 2019 | Nienke Deutz | Bloeistraat 11 | Short Film Category |

### Notes

    b. ^ Best Entry Award in Amateur Category
    c. ^ Best Entry Award in Student Category
    d. ^ Competition Winning Programs

## Notable Entry

The excellent works of the year are chosen according to each section.
| Television Category The TV animations broadcast from December 1 of the year beforehand to November 30 of the previous year in Japan become candidates. The 'Best Entry' was selected only in 2003: Hanada Shōnen-shi. Tokyo Anime Award Year Winner 2002 InuYasha Ojamajo Doremi # Hikaru no Go Fruits Basket One Piece 2003 Hanada Shōnen-shi InuYasha Overman King Gainer 2004 Astro Boy Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Fullmetal Alchemist 2005 Gankutsuou: The Count of Monte Cristo Sgt. Frog Futari wa Pretty Cure 2006 Eureka Seven Black Jack Mushishi 2007 Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Death Note 2008 Dennō Coil Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann 2009 Macross Frontier Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 2010 Eden of the East K-On! 2011 K-On!! The Tatami Galaxy 2012 Puella Magi Madoka Magica Tiger & Bunny 2013 Kuroko's Basketball Sword Art Online Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2014 Space Brothers 2015 Yo-Kai Watch 2016 Shirobako 2017 Yuri!!! on Ice 2018 Kemono Friends 2019 Zombie Land Saga 2020 Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba 2021 Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! 2022 Jujutsu Kaisen 2023 Spy × Family 2024 Oshi no Ko 2025 Frieren: Beyond Journey's End | Domestic Feature Film Category The animation films released from December 1 of the year beforehand to November 30 of the previous year in Japan become candidates. The 'Best Entry' was selected only in 2003: Millennium Actress. Tokyo Anime Award Year Winner 2002 Princess Arete Spirited Away Metropolis 2003 Millennium Actress The Cat Returns Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States 2004 Tokyo Godfathers Nasu: Summer in Andalusia 2005 Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence Steamboy 2006 Detective Conan: Strategy Above the Depths Zeta Gundam: A New Translation - Heirs to the Stars 2007 Paprika Arashi no Yoru ni 2008 Summer Days with Coo 2009 Ponyo 2010 Summer Wars 2011 The Secret World of Arrietty 2012 From Up on Poppy Hill 2013 Wolf Children Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2014 The Wind Rises 2015 Stand by Me Doraemon 2016 Love Live! The School Idol Movie 2017 A Silent Voice 2018 In This Corner of the World 2019 Detective Conan: Zero the Enforcer 2020 Weathering with You 2021 Violet Evergarden: The Movie 2022 Evangelion: 3.0+1.0 Thrice Upon a Time 2023 One Piece Film: Red 2024 The First Slam Dunk 2025 Look Back |
| OVA Category The Original Video Animations (OVAs) released from December 1 of the year beforehand to November 30 of the previous year in Japan become candidates. The 'Best Entry' was selected only in 2003: Sentō Yōsei Yukikaze. Sentō Yōsei Yukikaze (2003 and 2006) and Diebuster (2005 and 2007) were awarded two times. Tokyo Anime Award Year Winner 2002 Animation Runner Kuromi 2003 Sentō Yōsei Yukikaze Return of the Magician JoJo's Bizarre Adventure 2004 The Animatrix Macross Zero 2005 Animation Runner Kuromi 2 Diebuster 2006 Karas Sentō Yōsei Yukikaze 2007 Diebuster Freedom 2008 Nasu: A Migratory Bird with Suitcase 2009 Detroit Metal City 2010 Time of Eve 2011 Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn 2012 Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn 2013 Not awarded | International Theater Award The international animation films released from December 1 of the year beforehand to November 30 of the previous year in Japan become candidates. Founded in 2003. One work is selected and awards presented every year. Tokyo Anime Award Year Winner 2003 Monsters, Inc. 2004 Lilo & Stitch 2005 Finding Nemo 2006 The Incredibles 2007 Cars 2008 Ratatouille 2009 Kung Fu Panda 2010 WALL-E 2011 Toy Story 3 2012 Tangled 2013 The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn |

## Individual awards

The individual awards for the activities of the previous year.

### Best Director

The awards for directors. Though this award does not limit to the directors of films, it has a tendency to be given to film directors.
Tokyo Anime Award :
| Year | Winner | Directed | Note |
| 2002 | Akitaro Daichi | | TV category |
| 2002 | Hayao Miyazaki | | Film category |
| 2003 | Keiichi Hara | Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: The Battle of the Warring States | Film |
| 2004 | Satoshi Kon | Tokyo Godfathers | Film |
| 2005 | Hayao Miyazaki | Howl's Moving Castle | Film |
| 2006 | Yoshiyuki Tomino | Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam A New Translation: Heirs to the Stars | Film |
| 2007 | Mamoru Hosoda | The Girl Who Leapt Through Time | Film |
| 2008 | Hideaki Anno | Evangelion: 1.0 You Are (Not) Alone | Film |
| 2009 | Hayao Miyazaki | Ponyo | Film |
| 2010 | Mamoru Hosoda | Summer Wars | Film |
| 2011 | Hiromasa Yonebayashi | The Secret World of Arrietty | Film |
| 2012 | Akiyuki Shinbo | Puella Magi Madoka Magica | TV series |
| 2013 | Mamoru Hosoda | Wolf Children | Film |
| Tokyo Anime Award Festival ||||
| 2014 | Tetsurō Araki | | |
| 2015 | Isao Takahata | | |
| 2016 | Yōichi Fujita | | |
| 2017 | Makoto Shinkai | | |
| 2018 | Tatsuki | | |
| 2019 | Yoshiaki Kyōgoku | | |
| 2020 | Makoto Shinkai | | |
| 2021 | Haruo Sotozaki | | |
| 2022 | Hideaki Anno | | |
| 2023 | Gorō Taniguchi | | |
| 2024 | Takehiko Inoue | | |
| 2025 | Kiyotaka Oshiyama | | |

### Best Original Story

The awards for the original creators of the work. Founded in 2005.
Tokyo Anime Award :
| Year | Winner | Original Story of | Note |
| 2005 | Masamune Shirow | Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence | Manga |
| 2006 | Hiromu Arakawa | Fullmetal Alchemist | Manga |
| 2007 | Yasutaka Tsutsui | The Girl Who Leapt Through Time | Novel |
| 2008 | Taiyō Matsumoto | Tekkon Kinkreet | Manga |
| 2009 | Hayao Miyazaki | Ponyo | |
| 2010 | Mamoru Hosoda | Summer Wars | |
| 2013 | Reki Kawahara | Sword Art Online | Light novel |

### Best Screenplay

The awards for screenwriters.
Tokyo Anime Award :
| Year | Winner | Screenplay of | Note |
| 2002 | Takashi Yamada | | TV category |
| 2002 | Hayao Miyazaki | | Film category |
| 2003 | Ichirō Ōkouchi | Overman King Gainer | TV series |
| 2004 | Sho Aikawa | Fullmetal Alchemist | TV series |
| 2005 | Mamoru Oshii | Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence | Film |
| 2006 | Dai Satō | Eureka Seven | TV series |
| 2007 | Satoko Okudera | The Girl Who Leapt Through Time | Film |
| 2008 | Keiichi Hara | Summer Days with Coo | Film |
| 2009 | Ichirō Ōkouchi | Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2 | TV series |
| 2010 | Satoko Okudera | Summer Wars | Film |
| 2011 | Miho Maruo | Colorful | Film |
| 2012 | Gen Urobuchi | Puella Magi Madoka Magica | TV series |
| 2013 | Satoko Okudera Mamoru Hosoda | Wolf Children | Film |

### Best Screenplay / Original Story

The awards for screenwriters since 2014.
Tokyo Anime Award Festival :
| Year | Winner |
| 2014 | Yasuko Kobayashi |
| 2014 | Hayao Miyazaki |
| 2014 | Reiko Yoshida |
| 2015 | Jukki Hanada |
| 2016 | Shū Matsubara |
| 2017 | Reiko Yoshida |
| 2018 | Kinoko Nasu |
| 2019 | Jukki Hanada |
| 2020 | Koyoharu Gotouge |
| 2021 | Reiko Yoshida |
| 2022 | Hideaki Anno |
| 2023 | Reiko Yoshida |
| 2024 | Takehiko Inoue |
| 2025 | Hiroyuki Yoshino |

### Best Art Direction

The awards for the staffs of art direction.
Tokyo Anime Award :
| Year | Winner | Art Direction of | Note |
| 2002 | Yuji Ikeda | | TV category |
| 2002 | Yōji Takeshige | | Film category |
| 2003 | Nobutaka Ike | Millennium Actress | Film |
| 2004 | Nobutaka Ike | Tokyo Godfathers | Film |
| 2005 | Shinji Kimura | Steamboy | Film |
| 2006 | Takeshi Waki | Mushishi | TV series |
| 2007 | Nizo Yamamoto | The Girl Who Leapt Through Time | Film |
| 2008 | Shinji Kimura | Tekkon Kinkreet | Film |
| 2009 | Noboru Yoshida | Ponyo | Film |
| 2010 | Yōji Takeshige | Summer Wars | Film |
| 2011 | Yōji Takeshige | The Secret World of Arrietty | Film |
| 2012 | Takumi Tanji | Children Who Chase Lost Voices | Film |
| 2013 | Hiroshi Ohno | Wolf Children | Film |
| 2013 | Hiroshi Ohno | A Letter to Momo | Film |
| Tokyo Anime Award Festival ||||
| 2014 | Yōji Takeshige | | |
| 2015 | Kazuo Oga | | |
| 2017 | Shunichiro Yoshihara | | |
| 2020 | Mikiko Watanabe | Violet Evergarden: Eternity and the Auto Memory Doll | Watanabe was among the 36 killed as result of the Kyoto Animation arson attack and was awarded posthumously for her work. |
| 2021 | Mikiko Watanabe | Violet Evergarden: The Movie | Watanabe was again awarded posthumously for her work. |
| 2025 | Mai Ichioka | |

### Best Character Designer

The awards for character designers.
Tokyo Anime Award :
| Year | Winner | Character Design of | Note |
| 2002 | Masatomo Sudo | | TV category |
| 2002 | Hayao Miyazaki | | Film category |
| 2003 | Kōsuke Fujishima | Sakura Wars | Film |
| 2004 | Hisashi Hirai | Mobile Suit Gundam SEED | TV series |
| 2005 | Hiroyuki Okiura | Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence | Film |
| 2006 | Ken'ichi Yoshida | Eureka Seven | TV series |
| 2007 | Yoshiyuki Sadamoto | The Girl Who Leapt Through Time | Film |
| 2008 | Atsushi Nishigori | Tengen Toppa Gurren-Lagann | TV series |
| 2009 | Tetsuya Nishio | The Sky Crawlers | Film |
| 2010 | Yoshiyuki Sadamoto | Summer Wars | Film |
| 2011 | Yoshihiko Umakoshi | HeartCatch PreCure! | TV series |
| 2012 | Masakazu Katsura | Tiger & Bunny | TV series |
| 2013 | Yoshiyuki Sadamoto | Wolf Children | Film |
| Tokyo Anime Award Festival ||||
| 2014 | Sushio | | |
| 2015 | Takahiro Kishida | | |
| 2016 | Naoyuki Asano | | |

### Best Voice Actor

The awards for voice actors by their performance. Rumi Hiiragi (2002) and Chieko Baisho (2005) are more famous as actress in Japan.
Tokyo Anime Award :
| Year | Winner | Acted as | Note |
| 2002 | Kurumi Mamiya | | TV category |
| 2002 | Rumi Hiiragi | | Film category |
| 2003 | Kappei Yamaguchi | InuYasha | |
| 2004 | Romi Park | Edward Elric | |
| 2005 | Chieko Baisho | Sophie (Howl's Moving Castle) | Film |
| 2006 | Akio Ōtsuka | Black Jack (Black Jack) | TV series |
| 2007 | Aya Hirano | Haruhi Suzumiya (The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya) | TV series |
| 2008 | Mamoru Miyano | Setsuna F. Seiei (Mobile Suit Gundam 00) | TV series |
| 2008 | Mamoru Miyano | Light Yagami (Death Note) | TV series |
| 2009 | Jun Fukuyama | Lelouch Lamperouge (Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion R2) | TV series |
| 2010 | Hiroshi Kamiya | Koyomi Araragi (Bakemonogatari) | TV series |
| 2011 | Aki Toyosaki | Yui Hirasawa (K-On!!) | TV series |
| 2012 | Hiroaki Hirata | Kotetsu T. Kaburagi/Wild Tiger (Tiger & Bunny) | TV series |
| 2013 | Yuki Kaji | Amata Sora (Aquarion Evol) | TV series |
| 2013 | Yuki Kaji | Haruyuki Arita (Accel World) | TV series |
| Tokyo Anime Award Festival ||||
| 2014 | Hideaki Anno | | |
| 2015 | Daisuke Ono | | |
| 2015 | Koki Uchiyama | | |

### Best Music

The awards for composers (and other music related people).
Tokyo Anime Award :
| Year | Winner | Music of | Note |
| 2002 | Kōhei Tanaka | | TV category |
| 2002 | Joe Hisaishi | | Film category |
| 2003 | Yoko Kanno | Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex | TV series |
| 2004 | Yoko Kanno | | |
| 2005 | Joe Hisaishi | Howl's Moving Castle | Film |
| 2006 | Michiru Oshima | Fullmetal Alchemist | TV series |
| 2007 | Susumu Hirasawa | Paprika | Film |
| 2008 | Yoko Kanno | Genesis of Aquarion | TV series |
| 2009 | Yoko Kanno | Macross Frontier | TV series |
| 2010 | Shiro Sagisu | Evangelion: 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance | Film |
| 2011 | Cécile Corbel | The Secret World of Arrietty | Film |
| 2012 | Satoshi Takebe | From Up On Poppy Hill | Film |
| 2013 | Yoko Kanno | Kids on the Slope | TV series |
| 2013 | Yoko Kanno | Aquarion Evol | TV series |
| Tokyo Anime Award Festival ||||
| 2014 | Hiroyuki Sawano | | |
| 2015 | Hiroyuki Sawano | | |
| 2017 | Hiroyuki Sawano | | |
| 2018 | Yuki Kajiura | | |
| 2019 | Mamoru Miyano | | |
| 2020 | Yuki Kajiura | | |
| 2021 | Yuki Kajiura | | |
| 2022 | Yuki Kajiura Go Shiina | | |
| 2023 | Ado | | |
| 2024 | Yoasobi | | |
| 2025 | Evan Call | | |

### Best Animator

The awards for animators since 2014.
Tokyo Anime Award Festival :
| Year | Winner |
| 2014 | Kitarō Kōsaka |
| 2015 | Kumiko Takahashi |
| 2015 | Nobutake Itō |
| 2015 | Osamu Tanabe |
| 2016 | Chikashi Kubota |
| 2017 | Tadashi Hiramatsu |
| 2018 | Takahiro Kishida |
| 2019 | Hitomi Kariya |
| 2020 | Akira Matsushima |
| 2021 | Akira Matsushima |
| 2022 | Akira Matsushima |
| 2023 | Yoshimichi Kameda |
| 2024 | Takeshi Honda |
| 2025 | Tōko Yatabe |

### Merit Award

| Year | Winner |
| 2009 | Hiroshi Sasagawa |
| 2010 | Isao Takahata |
| 2011 | Tomoharu Katsumata |
| 2012 | Osamu Dezaki |
| 2013 | Noboru Ishiguro |
| 2014 | Kimio Yabuki |
| 2015 | Toshio Hirata |
| 2016 | Toyoo Ashida |
| 2017 | Hiroshi Ikeda |
| 2018 | Tsutomu Shibayama |
| 2019 | Hisayuki Toriumi |
| Year | Winner |
| 2006 | Mari Shimizu |
| 2007 | Nobuyo Ōyama, Noriko Ohara, Michiko Nomura, Kaneta Kimotsuki and Kazuya Tatekabe |
| 2009 | Jōji Yanami |
| 2010 | Seizō Katō |
| 2011 | Midori Katō, Ichirō Nagai, Miyoko Asō and Takako Sasuga |
| 2012 | Masako Nozawa |
| 2013 | Tōru Ōhira |
| 2014 | Chikao Ohtsuka |
| 2015 | Hiroshi Ōtake |
| 2016 | Yshiko Ōta |
| 2017 | Eiko Masuyama |
| 2018 | Kiyoshi Kobayashi |
| 2019 | Kazuko Sugiyama |
| 2020 | Masako Ikeda |
| 2021 | Michio Hazama |
| 2022 | Shōzō Iizuka |