Animation Kobe
The Animation Kobe was an event established by Kobe in 1996 to promote anime and other visual media. The Animation Kobe Awards are given annually by Kobe and the Organising Committee to creators and creations.
Event
Animation Kobe has been held annually in Kobe since 1996. In addition to the awards ceremony, the event holds screenings of the prize winners and talk shows. The 11th event, in 2006, was carried live on the official website. The awards event was closed in 2015.No. | Event name | Date | Place |
1 | The 1st Animation Kobe | December 8, 1996 | Kobe Fashion Mart |
2 | The 2nd Animation Kobe | November 24, 1997 | Kobe Portopia Hotel |
3 | The 3rd Animation Kobe | November 22, 1998 | Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall |
4 | The 4th Animation Kobe | November 13, 1999 | Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall |
5 | The 5th Animation Kobe | November 12, 2000 | Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall |
6 | The 6th Animation Kobe | September 16, 2001 | Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall |
7 | The 7th Animation Kobe | November 10, 2002 | Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall |
8 | The 8th Animation Kobe | November 9, 2003 | Kobe Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hall |
9 | The 9th Animation Kobe | November 14, 2004 | Xebec hall |
10 | The 10th Animation Kobe | October 2, 2005 | Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall |
11 | The 11th Animation Kobe | November 19, 2006 | Xebec hall |
12 | The 12th Animation Kobe | November 4, 2007 | Nishiyama Kinen-kaikan |
13 | The 13th Animation Kobe | November 2, 2008 | Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall |
14 | The 14th Animation Kobe | October 18, 2009 | Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall |
15 | The 15th Animation Kobe | November 28, 2010 | Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall |
16 | The 16th Animation Kobe | October 6, 2011 | Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall |
17 | The 17th Animation Kobe | December 2, 2012 | Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall |
18 | The 18th Animation Kobe | December 8, 2013 | Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall |
19 | The 19th Animation Kobe | December 7, 2014 | Design and Creative Center Kobe |
Major staff
; Chairman of the Committee- Yasuki Hamano, 1996-2005
- Akira Kamiya, 2006-2015
The examination is done mainly by a panel of chief editors of the magazines covering anime, such as Newtype, Animedia and Animage. Usually, one of the city employees sent by Kobe City also participates. The panel vote for one of its members to serve as chairman:
- Nobuo Oda, 1998 – chief editor of Animedia
- Susumu Asaka, 1999 – chief editor of CD-ROM Fan
- Toshihiro Fukuoka, 2000 – chief editor of Weekly Ascii
- Masahito Arinaga, 2001 – chief editor of a new magazine of MediaWorks
- Akitaro Daichi, 2002-2003 – animation director
- Kenji Yano, 2004 – chief editor of Newtype
- Yasushi Nakaji, 2006 – chief editor of Animedia
- Toshihiro Fukuoka, 2007 – chief editor of Weekly Ascii
- Isao Fujioka, 2008 – chairman of MdN Corporation
Winners
prizes by the fans' vote.
Individual Award
The activities from September of the previous year to August of the event year become objects for the examination. Newcomers expected to have future prominence are noted.No. | Year | Winner | Notable work of the year |
1 | 1996 | Hideaki Anno | Director |
2 | 1997 | Hayao Miyazaki | Director |
3 | 1998 | Shinichi Watanabe | Director * |
4 | 1999 | Akitaro Daichi | Director |
5 | 2000 | Hiroyuki Okiura | Director * |
6 | 2001 | Hiroyuki Kitakubo | Director |
7 | 2002 | Keiichi Hara | Director |
8 | 2003 | Yōsuke Kuroda | Screenwriter |
9 | 2004 | Kenji Kamiyama | Director |
10 | 2005 | Ken'ichi Yoshida | Animator |
11 | 2006 | Hiroshi Nagahama | Director * |
12 | 2007 | Hiroyuki Imaishi | Director |
13 | 2008 | Mitsuo Iso | Director * |
14 | 2009 | Kunio Katō | Director * |
15 | 2010 | Mamoru Hosoda | Director * |
16 | 2011 | Mari Okada | Screenwriter |
17 | 2012 | Noriyasu Agematsu | Music producer, composer, lyricist |
18 | 2013 | Tsutomu Mizushima | Director |
19 | 2014 | Seiji Kishi | Director |
20 | 2015 | Seiji Mizushima | Director |
Special Award
Awards for individual or group that contributed to Japanese anime during a long period.In the first year, the Yomiuri Award was posthumously given to Fujiko F. Fujio who died two months before the event.
No. | Year | Winner | Note |
1 | 1996 | Fujiko F. Fujio | Yomiuri Award. Manga artist: the creator of Doraemon etc. |
2 | 1997 | Masako Nozawa | Voice actor |
3 | 1998 | Yasuo Ōtsuka | Animator |
4 | 1999 | Takao Koyama | Screenwriter |
5 | 2000 | Shigeharu Shiba | Audio director |
6 | 2001 | Kunio Okawara | Mechanical designer |
7 | 2002 | Masao Maruyama | Producer |
8 | 2003 | Leiji Matsumoto | Manga artist |
9 | 2004 | Shigeru Watanabe | Producer |
10 | 2005 | Ippei Kuri | A founder of Tatsunoko Production, awarded for his activities as general producer. |
11 | 2006 | Group TAC | Studio |
11 | 2006 | Nobuyo Ōyama Noriko Ohara Michiko Nomura Kazuya Tatekabe Kaneta Kimotsuki | Voice actors: main cast of Doraemon |
12 | 2007 | Isao Takahata | Director |
13 | 2008 | Masaki Tsuji | Screenwriter |
14 | 2009 | Shun-ichi Yukimuro | Writer |
15 | 2010 | Studio Biho | Studio |
16 | 2011 | Osamu Dezaki | Director |
16 | 2011 | Detective Conan | Production Team |
17 | 2012 | Sanzigen | Studio |
18 | 2013 | Shōji Kawamori | Director, mecha designer, vision creator |
18 | 2013 | Izumi Todo | Creative team |
19 | 2014 | Kyoto Animation | Studio |
Theatrical Film Award
Animation films released in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year become candidates. The candidates are selected not only from Japan, but also from other countries. However, the committee sees more importance in a point of view promoting young creators of Japan.No. | Year | Title | Studio | Director |
1 | 1996 | Ghost in the Shell | Production I.G | Mamoru Oshii |
2 | 1997 | Princess Mononoke | Studio Ghibli | Hayao Miyazaki |
3 | 1998 | ' | OLM | Kunihiko Yuyama |
4 | 1999 | ' | Madhouse | Morio Asaka |
5 | 2000 | ' | Madhouse | Morio Asaka |
6 | 2001 | Spirited Away | Studio Ghibli | Hayao Miyazaki |
7 | 2002 | The Cat Returns | Studio Ghibli | Hiroyuki Morita |
8 | 2003 | Millennium Actress | Madhouse | Satoshi Kon |
9 | 2004 | ' | Production I.G | Mamoru Oshii |
10 | 2005 | New Translation Zeta Gundam: Heirs to the Stars | Sunrise | Yoshiyuki Tomino |
11 | 2006 | The Girl Who Leapt Through Time | Madhouse | Mamoru Hosoda |
12 | 2007 | Paprika | Madhouse | Satoshi Kon |
13 | 2008 | ' | Khara | Hideaki Anno |
14 | 2009 | WALL-E | Pixar | Andrew Stanton |
15 | 2010 | The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya | Kyoto Animation | Yasuhiro Takemoto |
16 | 2011 | Macross Frontier: Sayonara no Tsubasa | Satelight | Shōji Kawamori |
17 | 2012 | K-On! The Movie | Kyoto Animation | Naoko Yamada |
18 | 2013 | The Garden of Words | Shinkai Creative, CoMix Wave Films | Makoto Shinkai |
19 | 2014 | ' | Shaft | Akiyuki Shinbo |
20 | 2015 | Production I.G | Kazuya Nomura |
Television Award
The TV animations broadcast in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year, excluding rebroadcasts, become candidates. The candidates are selected not only from Japan but also from other countries. However, the committee sees more importance in a point of view promoting young creators of Japan.No. | Year | Title | Studio | Director | Screenwriter |
1 | 1996 | Neon Genesis Evangelion | Gainax & Tatsunoko | Hideaki Anno | Hideaki Anno |
2 | 1997 | Revolutionary Girl Utena | J.C.Staff | Kunihiko Ikuhara | Yōji Enokido |
3 | 1998 | Cowboy Bebop | Sunrise | Shinichirō Watanabe | Keiko Nobumoto |
4 | 1999 | ∀ Gundam | Sunrise | Yoshiyuki Tomino | Yoshiyuki Tomino |
5 | 2000 | Infinite Ryvius | Sunrise | Gorō Taniguchi | Yōsuke Kuroda |
6 | 2001 | Angelic Layer | Bones | Hiroshi Nishikiori | Ichirō Ōkouchi |
7 | 2002 | RahXephon | Bones | Yutaka Izubuchi | Chiaki J. Konaka |
8 | 2003 | Mobile Suit Gundam SEED | Sunrise | Mitsuo Fukuda | Yoshiyuki Tomino |
9 | 2004 | Fullmetal Alchemist | Bones | Seiji Mizushima | Shō Aikawa |
10 | 2005 | Gonzo | Mahiro Maeda | ||
11 | 2006 | The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya | Kyōto Animation | Tatsuya Ishihara | Yutaka Yamamoto |
12 | 2007 | Code Geass | Sunrise | Gorō Taniguchi | Ichirō Ōkouchi |
13 | 2008 | Code Geass 2 | Sunrise | Gorō Taniguchi | Ichirō Ōkouchi |
14 | 2009 | Eden of the East | Production I.G | Kenji Kamiyama | Kenji Kamiyama |
15 | 2010 | K-On!! | Kyoto Animation | Naoko Yamada | Reiko Yoshida |
16 | 2011 | Puella Magi Madoka Magica | Shaft | Akiyuki Shinbo | Gen Urobuchi |
17 | 2012 | YuruYuri | Dogakobo | Masahiko Ohta | Takashi Aoshima |
18 | 2013 | Attack on Titan | Wit Studio | Tetsurō Araki | Yasuko Kobayashi |
19 | 2014 | Love Live! | Sunrise | Takahiko Kyōgoku | Jukki Hanada |
20 | 2015 | Shirobako | P.A.Works | Tsutomu Mizushima | Michiko Yokote |
Packaged Work Award
The packaged media distributed in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year become candidates. The candidates are selected not only from Japan but also from other countries. However, the committee sees more importance in a point of view promoting young creators of Japan.No. | Year | Title | Developer / Anime Studio | Type |
1 | 1996 | Key the Metal Idol | Studio Pierrot | OVA |
2 | 1997 | ' | Sunrise | OVA |
3 | 1998 | Sakura Taisen 2 ~Kimi, Shinitamou koto Nakare~ | Sega | Video game |
3 | 1998 | Sakura Taisen: Ouka Kenran | RADIX | OVA |
4 | 1999 | Blue Submarine No. 6 | GONZO | OVA |
5 | 2000 | Shenmue | Sega-AM2 | Video game |
6 | 2001 | ' | Polyphony Digital | Video game |
7 | 2002 | Voices of a Distant Star | Makoto Shinkai | Hand-made anime |
8 | 2003 | Sentō Yōsei Yukikaze | GONZO | OVA |
9 | 2004 | Haré+Guu FINAL | Bandai Visual | OVA |
10 | 2005 | Diebuster | Gainax | OVA |
11 | 2006 | The Wings of Rean | Sunrise | OVA |
12 | 2007 | Production I.G | Television film |
Network Award
Re-created in 2000 as Network Media Award, the anime-related media making the best use of interactive distribution in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year become candidates.The word Network does not mean only Internet. The candidates are selected not only from Japan but also from other countries. However, the committee sees more importance in a point of view promoting young creators of Japan.
Theme Song Award
The theme songs of either anime or other forms of animated media distributed in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year become candidates. The voting by fans is counted, and the five songs with the highest number of votes become the candidates for the final competition. Especially, the committee sees more importance in original songs made for an anime, sung in the 'spirit' of the work.Only the Thema Song Award is influenced by the fans. This format started from the 4th event. The total number of votes in a year is about 10,000 votes. The result of the vote is also announced on the official sites of Radio Kansai, Anitama.com and the programs of Radio Kansai before the event. Though this is a preliminary vote to reduce the candidates to final, as of 2013 the candidates chosen in first by the vote have always won the award.