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As Netflix cranks it up a notch with its growing number of anime films, we’re here to tell you what’s the best from the bunch.

Netflix has continued to delve deeper and deeper into Japanese animation by licensing several major titles and crafting its own original works. It’s the very reason why the streamer has become a force in the entertainment sector, as it now boasts a slate that satisfies the everyday anime lover.

And because of that, TheWrap decided to outline the seven best titles Netflix has in its library right now. Here are the titles we think you should watch.

“Mary and the Witch’s Flower” “Mary and the Witch’s Flower” (GKids)

If you’re a fan of animator and director Hiromasa Yonebayashi’s work, which includes mega anime film hits “Ponyo,” “The Boy and the Heron,” “Howl’s Moving Castle,” and more, then “Mary and the Witch’s Flower...

Netflix has bagged yet another highly anticipated anime that is coming soon, and while it has been underrated so far, the series holds a lot of promise and has a cult fanbase to boot. This year has some very exciting anime on the way, but The Summer Hikaru Died is one that everyone needs to keep their eyes peeled for, as it might very well take over.

The official X (formerly Twitter) account of Netflix Anime confirmed that The Summer Hikaru Died is set to stream exclusively on Netflix, and true to its name, it is scheduled to air this summer. Unfortunately, there is no exact release date, but given the series will be one of the headliners of this year's Anime Japan event, fans can expect more information such as a new trailer and a release date.

The Summer Hikaru Died Premiers On Netflix In 2025 Based on the manga...

At first glance, comparing K-on! with The Colors Within may be strange considering how different both shows are in tone: K-on! is comedic, maximalist, and over-the-top, while The Colors Within is quiet, minimalist, and reserved. Yet despite their antithetical tones, these anime have more in common than one might expect. Some of those commonalities are obvious and surface-level. Both anime are about high schoolers who form a band because of their shared love of music and play their original songs at school events and festivals. They even have adult female teachers (Sawako from K-on! and Sister Hiyoshiko from The Colors Within ) who motivate the high school musicians to pursue their passion for music. Both were also once a part of a band themselves. Related: The Colors Within Director Naoko Yamada on Blending Sound and Color in Her Latest Movie However, the deeper and more interesting parallels stem from their shared thematic ideas,...

Although a lot of mainstream animation can start to feel samey after a while, there are some movies which dare to be different. Animation offers filmmakers unlimited possibilities to explore. Given the potential of the medium, it's a shame to see so many big-budget animated movies which stick to the same playbook. However, some outstanding movies have broken the mold and influenced the entire industry.

The history of animation is marked by a few trendsetters which have helped advance the medium. For example, Toy Story ushered in the age of computer animation. Often, the most interesting animated movies aren't the ones which come from big, established studios. Independent animation has been a reliable source of creativity over the years, with many groundbreaking experimental movies which question the orthodoxy of animation.

Related 10 Great Animated Movies That Prove 2D Isn't Dead

3D has taken over the animation industry, but movies including Suzume,...

The year 2023 was an embarrassment of riches when it came to animation. Movies like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” became massive commercial successes and crossed the billion-dollar mark at the box office, while movies like “Nimona” and “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” hit big with audiences and critics. There were films that boasted wildly different aesthetics and showed the power of the animation medium, like “Blue Giant” and “The First Slam Dunk.” We also saw the return of legendary animator Hayao Miyazaki, who gave us his most personal film to date with “The Boy and the Heron.”

That’s a lot for 2024 to live up to — luckily, it seems the year will bring with it a healthy mix of big studio franchises and more grown-up animated fare. There are still big and highly anticipated animated movies slated to be released in 2024. “Inside Out 2,” Pixar’s mega-blockbuster Oscar favorite,...

A big-screen adaptation of Scott Westerfeld’s dystopian sci-fi novel Uglies; Emily in Paris becoming Emily in Rome; Jeremy Saulnier’s latest genre piece; the latest installment of Ryan Murphy’s grisly crime anthology series; Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen and Natasha Lyonne playing sisters in a critically acclaimed family drama; and rom-com series toplined by the charming coupling of Kristen Bell and Adam Brody are some of the highlights among the new films and series hitting Netflix in September.

Buzzy filmmaker Jeremy Saulnier releases his latest feature, Rebel Ridge, on Netflix on Sept. 6. The action film stars up-and-coming Brit actor Aaron Pierre as a man who comes to a small town to bail out his cousin, but has his money seized by a corrupt local police force led by Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson). He is then forced to use his skills to retrieve the money and exact revenge. Saulnier...

Ring in September with Netflix’s latest offerings!

This month on the streamer, several major series will have their premieres, including the highly anticipated limited series adaptation of the murder mystery “The Perfect Couple,” starring Dakota Fanning, Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Eve Hewson, and more. Also on the way are Zack Snyder’s Norse mythology animated series “Twilight of the Gods” and the second half “Emily in Paris” Season 4. On the unscripted side, two of the streamer’s most popular competition series will return: “Outlast” and “The Circle.”

September also brings the long-awaited streaming premiere of the Netflix Original Film “His Three Daughters,” starring Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, and Elizabeth Olsen as a trio of estranged sisters who reunited to care for their ailing father. After a brief limited theatrical run, the acclaimed drama will come to the streamer later in the month.

From the high-octane Japanese wrestling limited series...

The Netflix September 2024 originals, movies, and TV shows have been revealed. The streaming service has also announced which movies and TV series will leave next month.

The September lineup includes Chestnut vs. Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef, The Circle Season 7, Emily in Paris Season 4 Part 2, His Three Daughters, Hot Wheels Let’s Race Season 2, Live from The Other Side with Tyler Henry, and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story.

The Netflix September 2024 slate also features Nobody Wants This, Outlast Season 2, The Perfect Couple, Rebel Ridge, Rez Ball, Selling Sunset Season 8, Twilight of the Gods, Uglies, Untold: Hope Solo vs. U.S. Soccer, and What’s Next? The Future with Bill Gates.

The Perfect Couple Netflix September 2024 Schedule

September Tba

An Invisible Victim: The Eliza Samudio Case (Br) — Netflix Documentary

A star goalkeeper threatens a woman who is pregnant with his child. Her pleas for help go unanswered in the shadow of his fame — then tragedy strikes.

September means networks are rolling out the good stuff following the summer blahs, and Netflix’s September offerings are no exception.

In addition to “The Perfect Couple” (see below) the streamer’s September offerings include “Emily in Paris” Season 4 Part 2, starring Lily Collins, as well as the downright charming “Nobody Wants This,” a unique rom-com starring millennial aughts TV gods Adam Brody and Kristen Bell — this one will be all over your social media feed, so make sure to binge it the second it drops.

On the movie front, in addition to a slew of old favorites, film fanatics’ best bet is likely “His Three Daughters,” a festival fave starring Elisabeth Olsen, Carrie Coon, and Natasha Lyonne. The film, about three very different siblings coming together in their father’s dying days, is expected to be a major awards contender after premiering at TIFF last year.

Top Pick: “The Perfect Couple...

5 Centimeters per Second, one of the earliest feature films by acclaimed anime director Makoto Shinkai -- especially well-known for the likes of Your Name, Weathering With You and Suzume -- is set to arrive on Netflix for U.S. streamers.

Via Wtk on X (formerly Twitter), Shinkai's 5 Centimeters per Second will premiere on Netflix in the United States on Sept. 1, 2024. It has been given the description: "Inseparable fourth-graders Takaki Tonoo and Akari Shinohara - bonded by a love of books - begin to slowly drift apart when their families relocate."

Related Netflix & Iyuno Break Silence Following One of the Worst Streaming Leaks in History

Netflix and major post-production service Iyuno have released official statements following several massive leaks of its upcoming animated titles.

5 Centimeters per Second Is One of Makoto Shinkai's First (and Rarest) Films

5 Centimeters per Second scheduled to stream September 1 on Netflix https://t.co/qaggZu3P7j pic.

Released in 2023, the anime adaptation of the Blue Giant manga was a critically acclaimed film. Now, the highly praised masterpiece is hitting an even higher note by earning a popular streaming platform as its new venue for viewers in North America.

Directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa, the Blue Giant movie was lauded by critics and moviegoers alike upon its theatrical release. One of several beloved anime films in the past few years, it's also part of a trend among anime movie adaptations. The news also comes as the franchise continues in manga form.

Related Netflix Reveals New Sailor Moon Cosmos Trailer Ahead of Worldwide August Release

Ahead of its release this August, Netflix reveals a new trailer for both parts of Sailor Moon Cosmos, concluding the Sailor Moon Crystal anime reboot.

One of 2024's Best Anime Movies Soon Streams on Netflix in North America Directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa (Mob Psycho 100...

After a U.S. theatrical release and a Blu-ray release, Blue Giant finally has its streaming release plans in place. According to the latest announcement, the anime film will be available on Netflix in the U.S. and Canada starting on September 1, 2024. Gkids licensed the film in the U.S. and previously hosted a limited theatrical screening in October 2023 with a Blu-ray release following in April 2024. Blue Giant Trailer Related: Blue Giant Anime Film Blu-ray Release Set for April 2024 The film, directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa ( Mob Psycho 100 ) at Nut, was released in Japan on February 17. Shinichi Ishizuka's manga has been serialized in Shogakukan's Big Comic since May 2013. Following the first arc, Blue Giant set in Japan (May 2013 – August 2016) and the second arc Blue Giant Supreme set in Europe (September 2016 – April 2020), its story entered the third arc Blue Giant Explorer in May 2020 and was set in the United States. A total...

From jazzy anime to an unfilmable sci-fi epic, a poignant film without dialogue and the silliest LGBTQ+ movie you’ll ever see

Blue Giant is a wonderful anime film following three young men trying to break into the dying modern Tokyo jazz underground. I saw this on a whim with a friend of mine. We were both struck by the film’s invigorating power and enormous fun. It’ll have you listening to its soundtrack by Hiromi for weeks afterwards. Sax riffs, piano solos, and drum breaks aplenty. People who liked last year’s The First Slam Dunk will recognise the newer, and perhaps controversial, 3D animation used. It isn’t about cutting corners but opening new avenues for the medium. The film hasn’t had the love it deserves so I will gush about it to anyone. Tim Roger, Surrey...

Few directors venture into both animation and live-action due to the vastly different skill sets required. Some successful directors like Wes Anderson and Guillermo del Toro have mastered both mediums. Experimenting with different animation styles can bring a fresh perspective to storytelling for versatile directors.

Most directors choose to stick with either animated movies or live-action, but some directors are versatile enough to excel at both. Animation and live-action require vastly different skill sets for directors. This is why so few directors stray from their comfort zones. Even some of the most adventurous directors working today have yet to cross over from live-action to animation. However, some live-action directors have made brilliant animated movies in recent years. It's becoming more often for successful directors to dip their toes into animation.

Some directors see animation as just another option in their tool kit, and they'll resort to it if they believe that's what the story requires.

Digital bookstore BookLive's Magademy Award , the Japanese manga industry's first award series to honor characters, returned for its third year to highlight the best of 2023 across six categories: Best Leading Actor, Best Leading Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and the newly added Best Picture, as decided by fan voting and a professional judging panel that also gave out a Jury Special Award. Nominees were decided via online fan voting that took place between October 5 to October 29, which resulted in a narrowed-down selection to be assessed by a panel of professional judges, with the winners being announced today. The nominees and winners (marked with **) for 2023 are as follows: Best Leading Actor Hiro Tanaka from My Home Afro Tanaka **Rintaro Tsumugi from The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity Akito Yamada from My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 Yukichi from The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today Yuru from Daemons...

The award ceremony for the 47th Japan Academy Film Prizes was held at the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo on March 8. The Boy and the Heron , Hayao Miyazaki's first feature film in ten years, won the Best Animation of the Year award. Related: The 47th Japan Academy Film Prize Announces Excellent Animation of the Year Winners Films eligible for the prize included those released in Japan between January 1 and December 31, 2023. The Boy and the Heron was selected from the five Japanese anime films that received the Excellent Animation of the Year award . The other four films included — Kitaro Tanjou: GeGeGe no Nazo (Go Koga), Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window (Shinnosuke Yakuwa), Detective Conan: Black Iron Submarine (Yuzuru Tachikawa), and Blue Giant (Yuzuru Tachikawa). Blue Giant , an anime film adaptation of Shinichi Ishizuka's jazz-themed manga of the same name, won the Outstanding Achievement in Music award.

Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.

Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:

Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys

2023 Oscars Predictions:

Best Animated Feature

Weekly Commentary: Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron” has garnered both the Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards, solidifying its status as a strong contender in the animated feature category. However, what’s intriguing is the absence of Miyazaki and his producer Toshio Suzuki at the award ceremonies,...

To say that Suzume is one of the best anime movies to have ever been created wouldn’t be a lie considering the tremendous ratings the film has earned from almost all platforms. Encircling the life of a young teenager of the same name who sets out to save Japan through her ability to see supernatural forces, the 2022 masterpiece was a critically commended blockbuster.

Suzume (2022)

Yet, despite being such a beloved option for most fans, the adventure-drama movie was still turned down when it sought acknowledgment from the Academy, wounding up with nothing more than zero nominations. And to rub salt in the wound, Suzume‘s recently winning the award for Best Anime Film has further proved to fans that Margot Robbie wasn’t the only one snubbed at the Oscars 2024.

Suggested“It’s the blueprint”: Not Even Attack on Titan’s Final Part Could Stop One Piece from...

Digital bookstore BookLive's Magademy Award , the Japanese manga industry's first award to honor characters, today revealed its nominees for the best of 2023 across five categories: Best Leading Actor, Best Leading Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress and Best Picture. A Jury Special Award will also be presented when the winners are announced on March 13 , which are decided by previous fan voting and a professional judging panel. Here are the nominees: Best Leading Actor Hiro Tanaka from My Home Afro Tanaka Rintaro Tsumugi from The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity Akito Yamada from My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999 Yukichi from The Masterful Cat is Depressed Again Today Yuru from Daemons of the Shadow Realm Best Actor Best Leading Actress Umiko Chino from Umi ga Hashiru End Roll Frieren from Frieren: Beyond Journey's End Maomao from The Apothecary Diaries Remilia Rosa Graupner from Akuyaku Reijo no Naka no Hito:...

The 2024 Crunchyroll Anime Awards are nearly here, which gives us an opportunity to celebrate the best anime of the past year. We’ve spent the year experiencing a colorful palette of emotions while watching not just anime series, but several films. Six of those incredible movies have been nominated for Best Film. Let’s take a look at the nominees! Related: Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024: Your Ultimate Guide Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King Image via Netflix Directed by: Ayataka Tanemura Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King was released in Japanese cinema in June 2023 and simultaneously premiered on Netflix. The story takes place after the events of the Elf Saga, but before the Heart Kingdom arc, giving fans of Black Clover more content to become invested in. Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King gives viewers stunning, well-defined animation with its uniquely choreographed action sequences. The battle feels like it never stops,...

The Japanese anime director Tachikawa Yuzuru isn't quite a household name yet, despite having directed the stylish Death Parade series and the totally (and tonally) bonkers series Mob Psycho 100. But his film adaptation of Ishizuka Shinichi's famous manga Blue Giant may go a long way to changing that. At the International Film Festival Rotterdam, the jazz anime scored big with the audiences, and I have spoken with several reviewers who chose it as their favorite film (animated or not) of this year's festival. In Blue Giant we follow Dai, a boy who fanatically practices playing the saxophone. His dream is to become a famous musician, and to do that he moves to Tokyo. He moves in with Shunji, an old classmate and checks out...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Paramount’s “Mean Girls” continued its sway over the U.K. and Ireland box office with £1.4 million ($1.8 million), according to numbers from Comscore.

The musical teen comedy now has a total of £5.5 million after two weekends on release. Disney’s acclaimed “All of Us Strangers,” directed by Andrew Haigh and starring Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal, debuted in second place with £1.1 million.

Warner Bros.’ “Wonka” collected £1.04 million in third position and after eight weekends on release has a total of £59.7 million. In fourth place, in its fifth weekend, Sony’s “Anyone But You” earned £817,810 for a total of £8.3 million.

Rounding off the top five was Disney’s double Golden Globe winner “Poor Things” that took in £690,024 in its third weekend for a total of £5.06 million.

There were two debuts in the top 10. Viacom18’s Bollywood air force epic “Fighter,” which topped the global box office with $25 million, scored £590,146 in the U.

Update 1/30/24: The Blue Giant Blu-Ray release is now available for pre-order on the Crunchyroll Store. You can find it right here. Gkids has announced details on its home video release of the 2023 Blue Giant anime film, which includes a release across major digital distribution platforms as well as a Blu-Ray release handled via distribution partner Shout! Studios. The film will be released on April 30, 2024 and is available for pre-order now with the box art unveiled and featured below. Special features for the Blu-Ray version include the slate of teasers and trailers ahead of the film's theatrical release in Japan, as well as a Q&a session with the film's music composer, jazz pianist Hiromi Uehara, who performs under the name Hiromi. Gkids describes the film: Dai Miyamoto’s life changes when he discovers jazz. He picks up a tenor saxophone and practices every day. After leaving his hometown Sendai,...

A sublime score from Hiromi Uehara drives this coming-of-age-anime, which brings three young jazz musicians to life with spectacular imagery

Is jazz dead? Yuzuru Tachikawa’s Blue Giant certainly begs to differ. Following three 18-year-old boys who doggedly pursue their musical dreams, the film hits the familiar beats of the coming-of-age anime, yet it also deviates from the format in interesting ways. There are trials and tribulations, quarrels and reconciliation, but what makes Blue Giant really shine is its masterly rendering of the physical ecstasy that emanates from live performance.

Jass, the band at the film’s centre, represents three different approaches to making music. Arriving in Tokyo from a small town, Dai Miyamoto has only picked up the saxophone four years earlier yet possesses a prodigious, ferocious ability to channel his emotions with every note. In contrast, pianist Yukinori Sawabe, who grew up in a family of musicians, is...

Blue Giant is the animated story of a teenage boy, Dai Miyamoto (Yûki Yamada) who wants to be a rising star of Japanese jazz. The plot is thin and lacks tension. Boy meets Jazz, boy meets sax, boy meets band, boy practices sax, on the eve of the band's breakthrough gig tragedy strikes and one of the band members can't make it but band plays anyway, etc. The narrative is pretty much devoid of subplot and the ending is given away at several points in the film.

The film lacks dimensions beyond plot. The three main characters are dull, slightly drawn and don't interact meaningfully outside of their own little bubble. There is nothing in the way of discernible subtext. The animation is conservative and doesn't fit the subject matter. When the unimaginatively named band Jass walk on stage they come with all the anime tropes of thugs going to a.

The official Twitter account of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Jan 23, 2024, that Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy And The Heron has been nominated under Best Animated Feature Film category for Oscars 2024.

Suzume No Tojimari, Blue Giant, The First Slam Dunk, Lonely Castle in the Mirror, all of which had also gotten the eligibility nod for the Oscars along with The Boy And The Heron, failed to make it to the nominations.

The Boy And The Heron will be competing with Elemental, Nimona, Robot Dreams, and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse for the Best Animated Feature Film category.

The award ceremony is scheduled to take place at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on March 10, 2024.

The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the film industry. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in recognition...

Chainsaw Man leads the field with a dominant 25 nominations for Crunchyroll‘s eighth annual Anime Awards, which be handed out in March. It will compete for the marquee Anime of the Year prize against Bocchi the Rock!, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Swordsmith Village Arc, Jujutsu Kaisen Season 2, Oshi No Ko and Vinland Saga Season 2.

The fan-voted Anime Awards, which honor the year’s best Japanese animation, also features such disparate categories as Best Romance, Best Slice of Life and Best Voice Artist Performance in nine languages, will be presented March 2 in Tokyo. Three-time Grammy winner Megan Thee Stallion and Japanese singer LiSA will be among the presenters.

“Watching anime is one of my favorite things to do,” Megan Thee Stallion said in a statement. “I love cosplaying all of my favorite characters, I love the storytelling, and I love getting inspiration from the different anime art styles.”

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners...

Want to know how to legally watch all the Anime Awards 2024 nominees? Check out our complete list of streaming services where you can watch all the nominated shows! Whether you have to catch up, rewatch, or share your favorite nominee, we have you covered! Make sure you vote right here for your favorites, with voting open until January 27 at 11:59 p.m. Pt ! Results will be announced on March 2 from Tokyo, Japan! Nominees are in alphabetical order, with nominated categories and streaming platforms listed. Vote Now For The 2024 Anime Awards! Akiba Maid War Nominated for: Best Original Anime Watch on Hidive, Crunchyroll (France) Attack on Titan Final Season The Final Chapters Special 1 Nominated for: Best Continuing Series, Best Animation, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Action, Best Drama, Best Main Character, Best Supporting Character, Best Score, Best Voice Artist Performance - Japanese Watch on Crunchyroll , Hulu Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King...

The nominees for the 2024 Anime Awards were revealed this morning, with voting now open and hype mounting for the 8th annual Crunchyroll event, set for March 2 in Tokyo, Japan. It was an incredible year for anime, and that’s reflected in every category, including Anime of the Year and the three new categories for this year’s event: Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Slice of Life . Vote Now For The 2024 Anime Awards! Check out the full list below and let us know who you’re excited to vote for in this year’s Anime Awards! Voting is open starting right now until January 27, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Pt , so head here to cast your ballot and fight for what you love . We’ll see you in Tokyo! Related: Crunchyroll Anime Awards 2024: Your Ultimate Guide Anime Awards 2024 Categories Anime of the Year Best Continuing Series Best New Series...

Anime movies not made by Studio Ghibli can provide memorable and impactful experiences for fans. Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms explores themes of identity, motherhood, and loneliness with stunning animation and a memorable soundtrack. Blue Giant tells a moving tale about jazz and friendship, while I Want To Eat Your Pancreas offers a beautiful story about the value of life and friendship.

To many anime fans, the movies created by Studio Ghibli, especially those directed by Hayao Miyazaki, represent the pinnacle of the anime world. From classic titles like Spirited Away and Princess Mononoke to the more recent award-winning The Boy and the Heron, most fans would count at least one of these among their favorites. However, there are quite a few options for the best anime movies not made by Studio Ghibli as well.

The anime movie landscape is a broad one, defined by its rich and complex history.

When Guillermo del Toro accepted the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature ("Pinocchio") in 2022, he proclaimed during his speech, "Animation is cinema. Animation is not a genre. Animation is ready to be taken to the next step, we are all ready for it." Well, 2023 certainly heard him, because this year we were gifted an embarrassment of riches — all using the animated medium to push the limits of storytelling and visual artistry. At the same time, animated projects are constantly under attack by powerful millionaires in positions of power who can't or refuse to see the value in animation and instead still operate under the false assumption that it's nothing more than "kid's stuff." And even still, there was plenty of incredible animation this year specifically targeting young audiences, like the "Craig of the Creek" prequel film "Craig Before the Creek," Apple TV+'s "The Snoopy Show," and of course, the undisputed children's champion,...

The Academy has revealed the list of eligible films for consideration in best animated, documentary and international feature of the year, encompassing a broad range of blockbusters and critically acclaimed titles.

GKids’ “The Boy and the Heron,” Pixar’s “Elemental,” Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and Illumination’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” are among the 33 animated films in the running. This is up from 27 in 2023, when “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” took home the prize.

The eventual five nominees are determined by members of the shorts and animation branch, and any Academy members outside the branch who wish to participate. The number of outside members who opt in is unknown. All films submitted for animated feature also qualify for the Academy Awards in other categories, including best picture.

Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscars predictions in all categories.

There are 88 films representing their countries for the international feature Oscar,...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Thursday unveiled the films eligible for consideration for the 2024 Oscars in the categories of Documentary Feature Film and International Feature Film and Animated Feature Film.

A total of 167 documentaries have made the cut for the 96th Academy Awards, while 88 countries are eligible for the International Feature. Shortlists of 15 films in both categories will be revealed December 21.

In the Animated Feature race, 33 films are eligible for the 2024 race.

Final Oscar nominations will be revealed January 23, 2024, with the 96th Oscars to air Sunday, March 10 on ABC hosted by Jimmy Kimmel.

Here are the film lists revealed today, with AMPAS noting that not all have had their qualifying release yet, a requirement to advance in the voting process.

Animated Feature

The Amazing Maurice

Blue Giant

The Boy and the Heron

Chang’an

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget

Deep Sea

Elemental

Ernest & Celestine: A...

Metal Gear and Death Stranding's Hideo Kojima says that "without a doubt," Blue Eye Samurai is the anime of the year.

Kojima's recommendations are often of great interest to fans given his outspokenness about what he's currently watching and enjoying. One look at his X (formerly Twitter) page shows other critically acclaimed anime like Blue Giant and Summertime Rendering. Nevertheless, it's Netflix's Blue Eye Samurai that tops them all. "Just finished watching all 8 episodes of Blue Eye Samurai!" Kojima posted to X on Nov. 23, 2023. "Well, everything is wonderful! Everything is all beautiful! Without a doubt, the best anime of the year! It is a visual work that transcends the common sense of animation! The new generation of CG-based animation reached a turning point with "Spider-Man: Spider-Verse (2018)" and reached maturity with "Arcane (2021)", but this TV series has reached the next level!"

Hunter x Hunter Author Has Multiple Endings Ready...

“The Marvels” topped the South Korean box office on its opening weekend, but failed to lift cinema activity out of its recent slump.

“The Marvels” opened with $2.35 million between Friday and Sunday, and a market share of nearly 42%, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). Over its five-day opening run the film pulled in a total of $3.4 million.

Those scores were enough to take top place from “The Boy and the Heron,” which had been number one for the two previous weekends, but not enough to increase cinemagoing in Korea. Nationwide aggregate box office totaled only $5.63 million over the weekend, down for a second weekend and far below the summer highs when $10 million was the baseline figure.

In March 2019, the franchise film’s predecessor “Captain Marvel” earned $15.6 million on its opening weekend ($20.6 million over five days) and went on to an aggregate of $39.0 million.

“The Boy and the Heron” supposedly the final feature film by Japanese animation maestro Miyazaki Hayao, placed on top of the south Korean box office for a second weekend. It held off challenges from a clutch of new releases, including “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” and “Talk to Me.”

“The Boy and the Heron” collected $2.49 million between Friday and Sunday, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). That compares with $4.55 million on its opening weekend, but it has performed strongly through the intervening week-days and now has a cumulative of $11.1 million earned since Oct. 25.

In second place was new release “The Boys,” a Korean crime drama whose commercial release has been somewhat delayed since its festival premieres. It played at the Busan festival in October last year and at the Rotterdam festival in January 2023. It earned $1.22 million over the weekend and $1.82 million...

Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” opened with an unconvincing second place debut at the South Korean cinema box office.

It earned $406,000 between Friday and Sunday and $499,000 over its full four-day opening period. Its market share was a shade below 9%, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).

That left “Love Reset,” a local romantic comedy, at the top of the chart for the third successive weekend. It dropped only 21% to $1.84 million between Friday and Sunday and claimed a 40% market share. After 19 days on release, its cumulative total is $11.7 million.

Directed by Nam Dae-joong, “Love Reset” is the story of a young couple in the midst of divorce who are involved in a car accident and lose their memories. When the amnesiac pair fall for each other again, their families try to trigger their memories and set them back on the road to separation.

The bestselling manga series Blue Giant, created by Shinichi Ishizuka, ran from 2013 to 2016 with a number of sequel manga series, receiving an English-language translation through Seven Seas Entertainment. Telling a group of young men's obsessive quest to achieve jazz music excellence and recognition in Tokyo, the manga has been adapted into a new anime movie of the same name, directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa, who previously helmed the popular anime Mob Psycho 100. Released in North America by Gkids, the film is a celebration of the awe-inspiring power of music and the friendships forged in the midst of joining forces towards a common cause.

Teenage saxophone prodigy Dai Miyamoto travels to Tokyo after graduating from high school in order to become a serious jazz musician and immediately sets out to form a jazz ensemble. Befriending master pianist Yukinori Sawabe and amateur drummer Shunji Tamada, Dai forms a tight trio that hones...

This year has seen many spectacular animated movies. From "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" to "The First Slam Dunk," we've seen movies that make full use of their medium and deliver stunning visuals that push the artform forward. The latest to join that list is "Blue Giant," the highly anticipated adaptation of the Shinichi Ishizuka manga of the same name, directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa and written by Number 8.

The film follows a trio of young Japanese men looking to leave their mark on the jazz scene. Dai Miyamoto plays the saxophone and leads the group with his burning passion for music. Along for the ride is Yukinori Sawabe, who doesn't share Dai's optimism for becoming a star, having played piano since he was 4 years old without much to show for it. And lastly, there's Dai's roommate Shunji Tamada, who is inspired by Dai's love of jazz and decides to pick...

Anime is ever growing in popularity, to the point where the original TV series are now transforming into hit live-action projects. Look at the long-running One Piece, for example. Meanwhile, hit manga series are transforming from page to screen, such as the inspiring and relentlessly entertaining Blue Giant, which hits select theaters this week. Directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa, Blue Giant will touch the hearts of young musicians everywhere — and anyone daring enough to dream, for that matter. Featuring electrifying musical performances and a dynamite jazz soundtrack, Blue Giant is a must-see for cinephiles of all shapes and sizes.

An Ode to 'Passionate and Intense' Jazz

"Blue giant" is term coined for stars in space that burn so hot that their perceived color turns from red to blue. The aspiring "shining star" here is Dai (voiced by Yûki Yamada), a young basketball player whose life is turned upside down the day...

Blue Giant is a visually stunning anime film that pays tribute to aspiring young musicians and showcases their journey in the world of jazz. The film features relatable characters with a strong bond of friendship, and their growth and development form the backbone of the story. With real jazz music and wild visuals, Blue Giant offers an intense and memorable concert-like experience that will appeal to jazz enthusiasts and newcomers to the genre alike. Catch it in theaters on October 8th and 9th.

The anime film Blue Giant is a jazzy tribute to aspiring young musicians, offering a glimpse into the world of music in a stunningly visual way. Starring relatable characters with a solid bond of friendship, Blue Giant hits a lot of the right notes to get an interesting story while keeping the music center stage.

Blue Giant is based on the manga of the same name by Shinichi Ishizuka,...

It's been said that music can touch our souls, a power so great that it can awaken an artistic side in us that perhaps we didn't even know was there. This happens to Dai, the main character in Yuzuru Tachikawa's new anime film Blue Giant, which hits select theaters Oct. 8 and 9. Dai is a young basketball player who finds a new passion in jazz after a friend brings him to a local club. From there, Dai decides to pack up and move to Tokyo with hopes of joining a band as a saxophonist. With no formal education in music, Dai is perhaps in over his head at first, but after meeting some supportive fellow musicians who give Dai a shot, Blue Giant becomes a success story that will inspire young aspiring musicians everywhere.

And for those unfamiliar with the term, "blue giant" is a term referring to a star...

Blue Giant is an anime film about three young musicians who strive to make a name for themselves as a jazz band called Jass. The film is not only about music, but also explores themes of friendship and camaraderie among the characters. Director Yuzuru Tachikawa used a combination of different animation techniques to accurately portray the musicians playing their instruments and create visually stunning performances.

The anime film Blue Giant follows the music careers of three young musicians with a shared love of jazz: saxophonist Dai Miyamoto, pianist Yukinori Sawabe, and their fresh-faced drummer, Shunji Tamada. With Dai setting out to be the greatest jazz musician on the planet, the young men face a difficult road to make a name for themselves as a band, Jass. The film is as much about friendship and camaraderie as it is music, and tells the tale of how these three friends push each...

There’s nothing quite like jazz. Hitting the right notes in the tiny area between experimentation, chaos, art and cacophonous noise is a tricky thing to do, and the artists that can are held in a regard few other professions can touch. There’s an allure to it, a danger in live performances where one false note could send an entire act into disarray. It may be the most pure form of music, depending not on set patterns and structure, but instinct and intuition in every moment. Curious then, that Shinichi Ishizuka’s “Blue Giant” manga series was miraculously able to catch the hearts and minds of many with words and images about jazz rather than including the music itself. As a medium, manga is restricted to the expression of the illustration and the truthfulness of the story, but one thing it inherently cannot have is sound to go with it.

As anyone who even mildly enjoys anime knows, it’s an exhausting medium for fans to keep up with. Back in the olden days of the ’80s, ’90s, and 2000s, American anime releases were mostly confined to whatever Toonami or a few other cable channels were playing, along with the odd DVD release. Now? At least 20 new series start up every month for fans to watch, due to the advent of streamers like Crunchyroll and HiDive which premiere new shows as soon as they air in their native Japan. That’s not even getting into the new anime series that are exclusive to Netflix, Adult Swim, or other streamers, making staying on top of everything new in the anime-sphere increasingly impossible.

It doesn’t help that there aren’t that many resources or recommendations available. Anime has boomed into a massive industry in the United States, with massive, very active...

Dai Miyamoto’s life is turned upside down the day he discovers jazz. A former high school basketball player, Dai picks up a saxophone and begins practicing day and night, determined to become one of the greatest of all time. He leaves his sleepy hometown for the bustling nightclubs of Tokyo, but soon finds the life of a professional musician is not for the faint of heart. His passion eventually wins over the cocky but talented pianist Yukinori, and after Dai convinces his friend Shunji to learn the drums, they launch a new jazz trio whose rough sound contains a raw energy that quickly wins attention from local audiences. But what does it take to truly be great?

From director Yuzuru Tachikawa (Mob Psycho 100) and based on the award-winning manga, Blue Giant is a moving ode to the power of music and the artist, featuring electric performances and a stunning jazz soundtrack.

Blue Giant is finally seeing a North American premiere. Gkids is working on the distribution of the highly anticipated anime film.

Blue Giant is adapted from Shinichi Ishizuka's acclaimed manga series of the same name. The movie will have a limited release in only a handful of theaters. Gkids has also shared a trailer on X (formerly Twitter) and other platforms, with English subtitles accompanying the original Japanese.

Related: Why Are So Many Anime Set In High School?

Blue Giant from Yuzuru Tachikawa (Mob Psycho 100) is coming to select theatres on Oct 8 & 9!

Ya like jazz? Well, former high school basketball star Dai Miyamoto, the protagonist of the upcoming anime feature Blue Giant, lives and breathes jazz. Ever since being introduced to the soulful music genre, he's wanted to become the biggest jazz musician in the world, practicing the saxophone day and night to perfect his performance. Now, Gkids has unveiled the official trailer for Blue Giant showing Dai's journey from his sleepy hometown to the clubs of Tokyo where he convinces a cocky but talented pianist and his best friend to join him in a jazz trio. He soon finds out, however, that the life of a professional musician isn't for the faint of heart.

Animation producer and distributor Gkids has acquired all North American rights to the music-driven anime feature “Blue Giant.”

The film, an adaptation of the manga of the same name, is directed by Yuzuru Tachikawa. Number 8, the editor of the original “Blue Giant” manga written by Shinichi Ishizuka, penned the script.

In “Blue Giant,” former high school basketball player Dai Miyamoto discovers a love for jazz, and determines to learn the saxophone. He hits the jazz clubs of Tokyo in his quest to be the best sax player in the world. Dai launches a trio with cocky but talented pianist Yukinori, with Dai’s friend Shunji on the drums. But he soon learns that life as a professional musician is harder than it looks from the outside.

Pianist Hiromi Uehara composed the in-story original music and also plays for the character Yukinori. Drummer Shun Ishikawa, of the band Millennium Parade, and saxophonist Tomoaki Baba,...