Danica Davidson
December 22, 2021 
The 49th Annie Awards have announced their nominees, and it includes several anime titles.
BELLE by Mamoru Hosoda is getting the most love in terms of nominated categories. It’s nominated for Best Indie Feature, Best Direction – Feature, Best Production Design – Feature, Best Writing – Feature, and Best FX – Feature.
In fact, it’s the Best Indie Feature category that’s giving Japanese work the most attention. Fortune Favors Lady Nikuko, Pompo: The Cinéphile and The Summit of the Gods (which is a European movie based on a manga) are all nominated in that category.
The music for Poupelle of Chimney Town is also in the running for Best Music – Feature.
No anime were nominated in the Best Feature category, with the Annie Awards opting for Best Indie Feature instead. The nominees for Best Feature are Encanto, Luca, Raya and the Last Dragon, Sing 2, and The Mitchells vs. The Machines.
The Best Indie Feature made its debut in 2016, with ASIFA-Hollywood noting this was to “recognize not only features in wide release, but also the independent animators, international studios, anime and special productions that might not otherwise get the attention they deserve.” Mamoru Hosoda already took home the award with his movie Mirai in 2019.
The winners of the Annie Awards will be announced on February 26, during a ceremony at UCLA. People attending are told, “At the event, all Annie ticket holders must provide a photo ID and proof of full vaccination or a negative COVID-19 laboratory administered test result received within 72 hours of the event. Masks will be required regardless of vaccination status and must be in use at all times except in designated areas when eating or drinking. Eating or drinking in the theatre will not be allowed.”
The Annie Awards are sponsored by companies like Disney, Pixar, DreamWorks and Netflix.
Source: ANN, Annie Awards
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, and its sequel, Manga Art for Intermediates, with professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
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