The 2023 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best Anime Movie

The end of the year is nigh, and that means the 2023 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Awards are in full swing. As we do each year, ComicBook.com has brought together its staff to pick the best of entertainment. From film to television and beyond, we’re breaking down the best things that went live in the past year. Of course, that does include anime, and the category for Best Anime Movie was tight this year. However, there can only be one winner.

And the winner for the 2023 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best Anime News is…

The Boy and the Heron!

Yes, that is right! Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron has won Best Anime Movie at the 2023 Golden Issue Awards. This prize is just one of many to tuck itself into the film’s portfolio. Directed by Hayao Miyazaki, The Boy and the Heron made its stateside launch rather recently, but its reputation certainly preceded itself.

Released in July, The Boy and the Heron made a very strange debut. Studio Ghibli has been working on the movie since 2016, but it decided to keep a lid on Miyazaki’s project. The Boy and the Heron only released a single promo image before heading into theaters, so it was a surprise to everyone. The semi-autobiographical film went on to astound fans in Japan, and it is currently wowing audiences globally.

As for the film itself, The Boy and the Heron is a fantastical journey that tackles the tough reality of grief and growing up. The movie tells the story of Mahito Maki, a young boy who loses his mother during the Pacific War. When his father remarries, Mahito’s life in Tokyo is upended, and it is there the boy uncovers darkness in his heart. Things only escalate when a talking grey heron approaches Mahito, and the beast ends up luring Mahito and a few others into a magical new world.

The Boy and the Heron is just over two hours long, but it packs plenty of thought into its story. Miyazaki’s signature charm is palpable in every scene, and the director takes some surprising risks along the way. His introspective narrative is vague, leaving audiences to reflect on their own youth and the importance of moving forward. Though 2023 was an excellent year for anime films, The Boy and the Heron stands atop the rest. So if you’ve long loved Studio Ghibli, you should know this film stands as one of its best to date.

The nominees for the 2023 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Award for Best Anime Movie are:

• Black Clover: Sword of the Wizard King
  
• The Boy and the Heron 
  
• Digimon Adventure 02: The Beginning
  
• The First Slam Dunk
  
• Suzume