Danica Davidson
January 8, 2024 
Hayao Miyazaki, whose movie Spirited Away was the first anime to win an Oscar, has just gotten his name in the anime history books again. His new movie, The Boy and the Heron, received the Golden Globe for the category Best Motion Picture – Animated. Not only has an anime never won a Golden Globe before, a non-English language movie has never won this category.
The Boy and the Heron was competing against Suzume, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Elemental, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, and Wish.
The typically shy Miyazaki was not there to receive the award. Toshio Suzuki, a producer for The Boy and the Heron, wrote on social media in response to the good news, “Since the beginning of this year, Japan has been hit by a series of tragic earthquakes and accidents. When I hear the reports of many people still waiting for rescue in the disaster areas, I am filled with a sense of despair. In such a situation, I hope the bright news of winning an award can bring a smile to everyone’s face, even if only a little.”
The Boy and the Heron is currently playing in select theaters in North America. GKIDS gave this description for the film:
After losing his mother during the war, young Mahito moves to his family’s estate in the countryside. There, a series of mysterious events lead him to a secluded and ancient tower, home to a mischievous gray heron. When Mahito’s new stepmother disappears, he follows the gray heron into the tower, and enters a fantastic world shared by the living and the dead. As he embarks on an epic journey with the heron as his guide, Mahito must uncover the secrets of this world, and the truth about himself. Featuring the voices of Christian Bale, Dave Bautista, Gemma Chan, Willem Dafoe, Karen Fukuhara, Mark Hamill, Robert Pattinson and Florence Pugh.
The Boy and the Heron is the new critically-acclaimed fantasy adventure from the legendary Studio Ghibli, creators of Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and My Neighbor Totoro. Hayao Miyazaki’s first feature film in 10 years is a hand-drawn, original story written and directed by the Academy Award® -winning director. Produced by Studio Ghibli co-founder Toshio Suzuki, the film features a musical score from Miyazaki’s long-time collaborator Joe Hisaishi. The theme song for the film “Spinning Globe” was penned and performed by global J-pop superstar Kenshi Yonezu.
Source: Hollywood Reporter, NBC News
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Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
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