An Academy Award is arguably the greatest recognition that a person can receive from working the film industry. Whether its for a best picture, best director, best actor/actress, and/or best animated feature, every studio is looking to get their own when award season swings around. Recently, the Academy has invited a number of storytellers to join their ranks with Katsuhiro Otomo, the creator of the legendary Akira franchise, being included on the list.
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The Academy revealed the information on their official Twitter Account, listing both Otomo and many other representatives from the anime world as part of their upcoming roster:
Best. Day. Ever. We’re excited to invite these 842 inspiring storytellers to the Academy.
— The Academy (@TheAcademy) July 1, 2019
Tweet your welcome using #WeAreTheAcademy today.https://t.co/glplZscerD
Twitter User BrianRuh also listed several of the upcoming Academy invitees who will be joining the prestigious organization moving forward:
Also Katsuhiro Otomo, Takashi Nakamura (A Tree of Palme), Yuichiro Saito (producer and cofounder of Studio Chizu), Shigeru Nishiyama (animation editor with tons of credits), and Akiko Matsuba (production designer on Kore-eda films).
— Brian Ruh (@brianruh) July 1, 2019
First awarded in 1929, the Academy Awards have long been a staple of the film industry. While anime properties haven’t been recognized as much as their counterparts to the west, the most notable example was Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away movie winning an Oscar for Best Animated Picture in 2003. While Akira did not win any Oscars itself, it is still a great honor for Katsuhiro Otomo to be recognized here.’
You can congratulate Katsuhiro Otomo personally if you are attending the upcoming Anime Expo, where he is set to be one of the conventions’ guests of honor. While there, Otomo won’t just be talking about his older projects, but will be dropping a number of bombshells in the form of upcoming new projects that he currently has under wraps! Don’t forget that the live action Akira film is also in the works from Thor: Ragnarok director Taika Waititi!
What do you think of the news of Akira’s creator being recognized by the Academy? Do you think the legendary anime feature should have at least been nominated for an Oscar? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly on Twitter @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime!
Originally created by Katsuhiro Otomo for Kodansha’s Young Magazine in 1982, Akira later inspired the equally as prolific 1988 animated film, which Otomo himself directed. The story is set in a dystopian world following the bleak close of World War III. A gang leader known as Kaneda finds himself embroiled in a massive government operation when his best friend begins exhibiting powerful telekinetic gifts. To save his friend, Kaneda must get to the bottom of Neo Tokyo’s espers, but the lead quickly learns he is way in over his head.
