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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has revealed the list of feature films eligible for consideration in the Best Animated Feature Film category for the upcoming 97th Academy Awards.

Among the 31 titles vying for a nomination, five anime films have secured their place.

The eligible anime films are:

The Colors Within – Directed by Naoko Yamada and produced by Science Saru Ghost Cat Anzu – A collaboration between Yōko Kuno, Nobuhiro Yamashita, Shinei Animation, and France’s Miyu Productions. The Imaginary – An adaptation of A.F. Harrold and Emily Gravett’s novel, this film is directed by Yoshiyuki Momose and produced by Studio Ponoc. Look Back – based on Tatsuki Fujimoto’s acclaimed one-shot manga, directed by Kiyotaka Oshiyama and produced by Studio Durian. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim – Directed by Kenji Kamiyama and produced by Sola Entertainment.

While these films are among the 31 contenders, some have...

This article contains mild spoilers for "The Imaginary."

Animation and horror is a peculiar and difficult combination. Although the West has seen kids' animated movies descend into pure horror plenty of times before, it is trickier with anime, where more often than not horror is boiled down to simply a metric ton of blood or body horror. Still, even when the atmosphere of horror doesn't work in an animated movie, chances are it will still provide a horrifying monster or villain. This has been true since the early days of feature animation in the U.S., when "Snow White" gave countless kids nightmares with the Evil Queen.

That tradition has mostly gone away, as cartoons inspired by horror are becoming increasingly rare each year. This only makes the movies that do remember the power of horror in a kid-friendly setting all the more powerful. So is the case of "The Imaginary,...

Yoshiyuki Momose’s The Imaginary arrives on Netflix today, and it’s one of the most magical animated experiences you’ll find on screens this year. Based on the book of the same name by A. F. Harrold with art by Emily Gravett, The Imaginary is a fantasy epic on part with some of Studio Ghibli and Don Bluth’s best and most impactful works. Studio Ponoc’s The Imaginary portrays the depths of humanity and creativity through the eyes of young Amanda and her imaginary companion, Rudger, a boy no one can see imagined by Amanda to share her thrilling make-believe adventures. But when Rudger, suddenly alone, arrives at The Town of Imaginaries, where forgotten Imaginaries live and find work, he faces a mysterious threat.

We are honored to be joined by Studio Ponoc founder and The Imaginary writer Yoshiaki Nishimura for this in-depth interview into the world of make-believe,...

Studio Ponoc’s The Imaginary portrays the depths of humanity and creativity through the eyes of young Amanda (voice of Evie Kiszel) and her imaginary companion, Rudger (Louie Rudge-Buchanan), a boy no one can see imagined by Amanda to share her thrilling make-believe adventures. But when Rudger, suddenly alone, arrives at The Town of Imaginaries, where forgotten Imaginaries live and find work, he faces a mysterious threat.

On July 5, 2024, The Imaginary premieres on Netflix, and I’m warning you to get tissues before you start streaming. The anime is directed by Yoshiyuki Momose (Spirited Away) and will tug at every heartstring you have in your body. It’s based on the award-winning novel of the same name by A.F. Harrold and illustrated by Emily Gravett, and it’s one of those stories that might just get you in the gut and maybe even bring up some childhood memories. It certainly did for me.

The box office is finally seeing signs of life — once again, animation saves Hollywood — but that doesn't mean there aren't still reasons to stay at home and watch things on streaming. With the summer ramping up, and movies like "Despicable Me 4," "Twisters," and "Deadpool & Wolverine" giving us hope that the theatrical experience will remain a popular choice in the next month, we feel slightly less bad about recommending things to watch from the comfort of home.

Indeed, after a couple of slower months, Netflix is gearing up for one big summer, releasing some very highly anticipated titles, some surprising sequels, and also adding some modern classics with timely ties to movies still in theaters. With so many titles releasing on streaming every month and so little effort done by these platforms in advertising their own product, we're here to tell you what you should prioritize on Netflix in July.

The Imaginary, a Netflix anime movie from Studio Ponoc, features a creative team with roots in Studio Ghibli. Based on A.F Harrold's children's book, the book follows a girl named Amanda and her imaginary friend Rudger, exploring the world of imaginary friends and their existence without their creator. Studio Ponoc's second feature film, The Imaginary, incorporates hand-drawn, hand-painted animation and new technology, with a focus on understanding the reality of human lives in the imaginary world.

The Imaginary, Netflix's newest anime movie from Studio Ponoc, hails from a hallowed team of creatives. Director Yoshiyuki Momose was part of Studio Ghibli for three decades, serving as key animator on iconic films such as Whisper of the Heart, Spirited Away, and Tales from Earthsea. Yoshiaki Nishimura, meanwhile, is the screenwriter and producer of the movie, as well as the founder of Studio Ponoc.

Based on the children's book by A.F Harrold,...

A decade ago, legendary director Hayao Miyazaki retired, sending Studio Ghibli’s team of animators to seek employment elsewhere. Those were dark, uncertain times for the industry, which explains why veteran Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura picked the word “ponoć” (which means “midnight” in Croatian) for his new studio: He wanted to convey a new dawn for some of the medium’s most talented artists.

No question, the spirit survived in Studio Ponoc’s first feature, “Mary and the Witch’s Flower,” as well as a series of shorts bundled under the title “Modest Heroes.” Anime fans breathed a collective sigh of relief. The magic they’d associated with Studio Ghibli would live on. And then Miyazaki changed his mind and made “The Boy and the Heron”. In an unexpected twist, the artists who’d come up working alongside Miyazaki now found themselves competing with him.

Studio Ponoc’s second feature, “The Imaginary,...

“You Imaginaries never learn,” sneers a character in the trailer of Netflix’s new animated movie The Imaginary. “There is one thing imagination can never defeat. And that is reality.”

Snotty as he might be, the speaker has a point. 2024 has already seen the release of two movies about imaginary friends, and both of them met with a mixed response. The Blumhouse horror film Imaginary, about a pretend play pal turned evil, turned a profit but disappointed viewers. The John Krasinski movie If starring Ryan Reynolds has also made back its budget, but audiences seem largely down on it.

Netflix hopes to turn the tide with their entry into the genre, the animated film The Imaginary. Judging by the first trailer, The Imaginary just might pull it off.

The Imaginary introduces the viewers to Amanda (Evie Kiszel), a precocious girl who spends her days playing with her make-believe mate Rudger...

With the release of films like John Krasinski’s If, Blumhouse’s Imaginary, and even Ale de Jong’s 1991 comedy Drop Dead Fred, the power of imagination flows strongly throughout Hollywood. While each of the films mentioned above brings something different to the table, Yoshiyuki Momose’s latest animated feature, The Imaginary, hits differently. Studio Ponoc is proud to present The Imaginary trailer today, previewing an upcoming animated film to boggle the senses, stir emotions, and remind you of friends long forgotten.

Studio Ponoc‘s The Imaginary portrays the depths of humanity and creativity through the eyes of young Amanda and her imaginary companion, Rudger, a boy no one can see imagined by Amanda to share her thrilling make-believe adventures. But when Rudger, suddenly alone, arrives at The Town of Imaginaries, where forgotten Imaginaries live and find work, he faces a mysterious threat. Directed by renowned animator Yoshiyuki Momose (Spirited Away...

2024 has been a big year for movies about imaginary friends, between the Blumhouse horror film "Imaginary" and John Krasinski's live-action family film "If." Now, Netflix is getting in on the imagination-based fun with Studio Ponoc's "The Imaginary," which already looks to be one of the best animated films of the year. With breathtaking hand-drawn animation and a groundbreaking technique of animating light and shadow, "The Imaginary" looks stunning and seems to be introducing a whimsical, heartfelt, and emotionally charged story to back up the gorgeous visuals. Here's the official synopsis of the film, which is based on A.F. Harold and illustrator Emily Gravett's beloved and award-winning novel of the same name:

"Studio Ponoc's 'The Imaginary' portrays the depths of humanity and creativity through the eyes of young Amanda and her imaginary companion, Rudger, a boy no one can see imagined by Amanda to share her thrilling make-believe adventures.

Hitting Netflix on July 5, the animated odyssey “The Imaginary” follows a young girl and her invisible best friend, beginning in an attic where grieving Amanda hatches fantasy yarns with her fictive pal Rudger, before spanning out across no shortage of magical lands.

The hand-drawn gem marks the second feature produced by Japan’s Studio Ponoc – an outfit founded and staffed by veterans of Studio Ghibli. Among them are the film’s director Yoshiyuki Momose and producer/screenwriter/Ponoc founder Yoshiaki Nishimura, who spoke with Variety at the Annecy Animation Festival, where “The Imaginary” is screening in competition.

How did your background and professional experience shape your vision for Studio Ponoc?

Originally, I studied live-action filmmaking in the US. But I was drawn by the universal power of animation, seeing how one film could resonate. Regardless of language and nationality, children all around the world could enjoy the same piece of animation,...

The new trailer for The Imaginary imagines what would happen if the world’s imaginary friends end up without their best pals. The hand-drawn animated film arrives July 5 on Netflix after first bowing theatrically in Japan, where it grossed $919,000 last year.

The film centers on Amanda and a boy named Rudger, who is her imaginary companion whom no one but she can see. One day, Rudger finds himself alone in The Town, a place for discarded imaginary friends, where he must face a mysterious threat. It is based on the 2015 book from writer A.F. Harrold and artist Emily Gravett.

Yoshiyuki Momose directs from a script by Yoshiaki Nishimura. The English-language cast includes Louie Rudge-Buchanan (Rudger), Evie Kiszel (Amanda), Hayley Atwell (Lizzie), Sky Katz (Emily), Jeremy Swift (Mr Bunting), Kal Penn (Zinzan), LeVar Burton (The Old Dog), Jane Singer (Granny Downbeat), Ruby Barnhill (Aurora), Roger Craig Smith (Snowflake), Courtenay Taylor (Cruncher-of-Bones...

Netflix dropped the trailer for “The Imaginary,” the hand-drawn fantasy from Japan’s Studio Ponoc (streaming July 5), currently in competition at the Annecy Animation Festival. The Oscar hopeful is adapted from the A.F. Harrold novel (illustrated by Emily Gravett) and is told through the eyes of young Amanda (Evie Kiszel) and her imaginary companion, Rudger (Louie Rudge-Buchanan), a boy who introduces her to make-believe adventures that turn dangerous when he encounters forgotten Imaginaries in a mysterious town.

“The Imaginary” is directed by former Studio Ghibli animation vet Yoshiyuki Momose (“Grave of the Fireflies”) and produced by Studio Ponoc founder and former Ghibli producer Yoshiaki Nishimura (the Oscar-nominated “The Tale of the Princess Kaguya” and “When Marnie Was There”).

“The Imaginary” marks the second feature from Studio Ponoc and the first in its multi-film deal with Netflix. The studio was founded in 2015 as a spiritual successor to Ghibli and released its debut feature,...