The 2025 Oscar nominees have just been announced and, surprise, surprise, 2024’s best anime movies were completely snubbed in the Best Animated Feature category. But, it’s not all bad news, as Magic Candies, produced by Toei Animation, was nominated for Best Animated Short Film. The only problem is, not many people have actually seen it… or heard of it.
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The nominees for the 97th Academy Awards (which take place on March 2nd, 2025) were unveiled on January 23rd. Many anime fans were hoping that Look Back, created by Tatsuki Fujimoto would receive a Best Animated Feature nod, considering it left almost everyone that watched it bawling their eyes out. But it wasn’t to be. However, the anime industry still received some recognition among the shortlist.
Magic Candies Was Nominated for Best Animated Short Film
Magic Candies, directed by Daisuke Nishio, is based on a story by Baek Heena, a renowned Korean picture book author. The film, which clocks in at a brief 21-minute runtime, follows a young boy who can hear the voices inside people’s hearts after eating a mysterious candy. Magic Candies is a fully CG short film, animated by Dandelion Animation Studio (The First Slam Dunk). For Slam Dunk fans, you might remember The First Slam Dunk was also shortlisted and for the Best Animated Feature category, but alas, no full nomination.
In a statement following the nomination (via Natalie), Daisuke Nishio expressed his excitement at being nominated for an Academy Award. “It’s such an honor, I can’t believe it,” Nishio began. “I would also like to give my utmost praise to all the staff and cast of Magic Candies. I am convinced that it is only thanks to their sincere and tenacious work that the worldview of this film has been expressed so vividly.”
Magic Candies is a gorgeous short film with an emotional story, and is well deserving of the nomination. It faces tough competition from Beautiful Men, In the Shadow of the Cypress, Wander to Wonder, and Yuck!
[RELATED – Anime Snubbed For This Year’s Oscar Nominations (And What Should Have Made It)]
Why Are the Oscars Still Overlooking Anime?
As deserving as Magic Candies is of its nomination, it does highlight an ongoing trend with The Academy. In the award show’s 97-year history, only 12 anime movies have been nominated for awards (including Magic Candies‘ recent nod). Past nominees include The Tale of Princess Kaguya, The Wind Rises, Spirited Away, Mirai, and, most recently, The Boy and the Heron.
But, The Academy is still overlooking amazing anime movies, suggesting a long-running prejudice against the medium. Last year alone saw the release of The Colors Within, My Oni Girl, and the aforementioned Look Back, to name a few. Once again, the Best Animated Feature category is comprised entirely of Western animated movies. Flow, Inside Out 2, The Wild Robot, Memoir of a Snail, and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl were all nominated for Best Animated Feature this year.
H/T: Natalie
