Animax Taisho
Encyclopedia
, also known as Animax Awards, is a Japanese anime
scriptwriting competition organized by the Japanese anime satellite television
network, Animax
, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment
.
, animators and anime creators, which has included Ryōsuke Takahashi
and Kaiji Kawaguchi
among others, and which subsequently gets animated into an anime by a noted Japanese animation studio for broadcast on Animax's networks the following year. Winners of the Animax Award have gone on to forge successful careers in the anime and manga industry, with the second award winner, Yūko Kawabe going on to co-write Ergo Proxy
and Tweeny Witches, among others, while the fourth winner, Ikuko Yoshinari, went on to publish a shōjo manga for Ribon
.
The first four award-winning screenplays were animated by each of Animax
's co-founders, the studios Sunrise
, Toei Animation
and Tokyo Movie Shinsha
, while the fifth and seventh were animated by Production I.G.
and the sixth animated by Sony's A-1 Pictures
. In 2007, the awards were made open to Animax's viewers across its networks worldwide, under the name Animax Awards, with one of the winning scripts going on to be animated into the anime movie LaMB
.
The seventh iteration of the award, in 2008, was won by Kenji Saidō, for his entry Shoka (lit. calligraphy), and will be animated by Production I.G. and to be broadcast on Animax's networks in 2009. The seventh iteration of the competition received a record of 1,235 entries, the largest in the competition's seven-year history, and its judging panel included manga artist Kaiji Kawaguchi
, Detroit Metal City
film screenwriter Mika Ōmori and Densha Otoko
film screenwriter Arisa Kaneko. The award ceremony for the seventh iteration was also broadcast in Japan on November 9, 2008.
adaptation was serialized in Shueisha
's Ribon
shōjo
magazine.
, the script was the first winner not to be animated by one of Animax's co-founding studios.
, which was also established by one of Sony
's subsidiaries, Aniplex
. The supervising animation director and character designer was Sachiko Kamimura
and featured Maaya Sakamoto
as the title character.
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
scriptwriting competition organized by the Japanese anime satellite television
Satellite television
Satellite television is television programming delivered by the means of communications satellite and received by an outdoor antenna, usually a parabolic mirror generally referred to as a satellite dish, and as far as household usage is concerned, a satellite receiver either in the form of an...
network, Animax
Animax
is a Japanese anime satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. A subsidiary of Japanese media conglomerate Sony, it is headquartered in in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with its co-founders and shareholders including Sony Pictures Entertainment and the noted anime studios...
, a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Sony Pictures Entertainment, Inc. is the television and film production/distribution unit of Japanese multinational technology and media conglomerate Sony...
.
History and broadcasts
Held annually since 2002, the competition awards the best original anime scripts submitted across Japan, judged by a panel of noted manga artistsMangaka
is the Japanese word for a comic artist or cartoonist. Outside of Japan, manga usually refers to a Japanese comic book and mangaka refers to the author of the manga, who is usually Japanese...
, animators and anime creators, which has included Ryōsuke Takahashi
Ryosuke Takahashi
is a Japanese anime director, screenwriter, and producer. He is among Sunrise's most renowned and noted directors, with his work epitomizing much of Sunrise's work in the 1980s, pioneering the real robot genre, with such noted works as Armored Trooper Votoms, Fang of the Sun Dougram and several...
and Kaiji Kawaguchi
Kaiji Kawaguchi
is a Japanese manga author whose works include Eagle and Zipang. Generally, his stories involve Japan and examine the moral choices that people make in extreme situations. He received the Kodansha Manga Award three times, for Actor in 1987, for The Silent Service in 1990, and for Zipang in 2002...
among others, and which subsequently gets animated into an anime by a noted Japanese animation studio for broadcast on Animax's networks the following year. Winners of the Animax Award have gone on to forge successful careers in the anime and manga industry, with the second award winner, Yūko Kawabe going on to co-write Ergo Proxy
Ergo Proxy
is a science fiction suspense anime television series, produced by Manglobe, which premiered across Japan on 25 February 2006 on the WOWOW satellite network. It is directed by Shukō Murase, with screenplay by Dai Satō et al.. Ergo Proxy has been described as dark science fiction mystery with...
and Tweeny Witches, among others, while the fourth winner, Ikuko Yoshinari, went on to publish a shōjo manga for Ribon
Ribon
is a monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Shueisha. First issued in August 1955, its rivals are Nakayoshi and Ciao. Its target audience is young girls roughly 9–13 years old. In 2009, the magazine's circulation was 274,167, down from the previous year's circulation numbers of 330,000...
.
The first four award-winning screenplays were animated by each of Animax
Animax
is a Japanese anime satellite television network, dedicated to broadcasting anime programming. A subsidiary of Japanese media conglomerate Sony, it is headquartered in in Minato, Tokyo, Japan, with its co-founders and shareholders including Sony Pictures Entertainment and the noted anime studios...
's co-founders, the studios Sunrise
Sunrise (company)
is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise. It is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings. Its former name was Nippon Sunrise, and prior to that, Sunrise Studios...
, Toei Animation
Toei Animation
Toei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
and Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Tokyo Movie Shinsha
, formerly known as , is a Japanese animation studio, founded on October 1946. One of the oldest and most prominent anime studios in Japan, it has also produced numerous animated series airing in other countries such as France, the United States, and Italy. The company currently uses "TMS...
, while the fifth and seventh were animated by Production I.G.
Production I.G.
is a Japanese anime studio and production enterprise, which was founded on December 15, 1987 by Mitsuhisa Ishikawa. It is headquartered in Kokubunji, Tokyo, Japan....
and the sixth animated by Sony's A-1 Pictures
A-1 Pictures
is a Japanese animation studio, a subsidiary of Sony's anime production firm Aniplex.-History:The studio was established by Sony's animation production division, Aniplex, on May 9, 2005, to animate its anime series and productions. In 2006, it co-produced the original production Zenmai Zamurai,...
. In 2007, the awards were made open to Animax's viewers across its networks worldwide, under the name Animax Awards, with one of the winning scripts going on to be animated into the anime movie LaMB
LaMB
LaMB is an animated film produced by Animax, which is a Japanese satellite television network and subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment, based in Tokyo, Japan. The network focuses primarily on broadcasting anime programming. The film has also been developed into four different episodes for...
.
The seventh iteration of the award, in 2008, was won by Kenji Saidō, for his entry Shoka (lit. calligraphy), and will be animated by Production I.G. and to be broadcast on Animax's networks in 2009. The seventh iteration of the competition received a record of 1,235 entries, the largest in the competition's seven-year history, and its judging panel included manga artist Kaiji Kawaguchi
Kaiji Kawaguchi
is a Japanese manga author whose works include Eagle and Zipang. Generally, his stories involve Japan and examine the moral choices that people make in extreme situations. He received the Kodansha Manga Award three times, for Actor in 1987, for The Silent Service in 1990, and for Zipang in 2002...
, Detroit Metal City
Detroit Metal City
is a vulgar comedy manga series, serialized in Young Animal from 2005 to 2010. An anime OVA series, twelve episodes of approximately 13 minutes each, was released starting on August 8, 2008. A live film adaptation directed by Toshio Lee appeared in Japanese theaters on August 23, 2008...
film screenwriter Mika Ōmori and Densha Otoko
Densha Otoko (film)
is a 2005 Japanese film, starring Takayuki Yamada and Miki Nakatani. It is part of the Densha Otoko franchise. The film was a big success at the box office, making the story of Densha Otoko popular. It was directed by Shosuke Murakami...
film screenwriter Arisa Kaneko. The award ceremony for the seventh iteration was also broadcast in Japan on November 9, 2008.
Super Kuma-san
— the first winner of the annual Animax Taishō in 2002.- Original concept/story:
- Director: Yukio Kaizawa
- Character design: Daisuke Yoshida
- Cast: Taiki MatsunoTaiki MatsunoTaiki Matsuno is a Japanese seiyū. He works at Aoni Production. His real name, as well as his former stage name, is Tatsuya Matsuno...
, others. - Production: Toei AnimationToei AnimationToei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
Azusa, Otetsudai Shimasu!
— the second winner of the annual Animax Taishō in 2003.- Original concept/story:
- Director: Hajime Kamegaki
- Original character design: Rie Nakajima
- Cast: Mamiko NotoMamiko Notois a Japanese voice actress working under Office Osawa. She was born in the city of Kanazawa, Ishikawa, and graduated from Hokuriku Gakuen Senior High School.-Voice:...
, others. - Production: Tokyo Movie ShinshaTokyo Movie Shinsha, formerly known as , is a Japanese animation studio, founded on October 1946. One of the oldest and most prominent anime studios in Japan, it has also produced numerous animated series airing in other countries such as France, the United States, and Italy. The company currently uses "TMS...
(TMS Entertainment)
Hotori ~ Tada Saiwai wo Koinegau
— the third winner of the annual Animax Taishō in 2004.- Original concept/story:
- Director: Takeshi Annō
- Character design: Shin'ichi Yamashita
- Creative producer: Ryōsuke TakahashiRyosuke Takahashiis a Japanese anime director, screenwriter, and producer. He is among Sunrise's most renowned and noted directors, with his work epitomizing much of Sunrise's work in the 1980s, pioneering the real robot genre, with such noted works as Armored Trooper Votoms, Fang of the Sun Dougram and several...
- Cast: Ryōko ShiraishiRyoko Shiraishiis a voice actress from Nara, Japan who works for Aoni Production. Due to her low and gentle voice, she is often cast as either the effeminate-and-kind young man or the sexually mature but sweet-and-sensitive supporting lady...
, others. - Production: SunriseSunrise (company)is a Japanese animation studio and production enterprise. It is a subsidiary of Namco Bandai Holdings. Its former name was Nippon Sunrise, and prior to that, Sunrise Studios...
Lily to Kaeru to (Ototo)
— the fourth winner of the annual Animax Taishō in 2005. A mangaManga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
adaptation was serialized in Shueisha
Shueisha
is a major publisher in Japan. The company was founded in 1925 as the entertainment-related publishing division of Japanese publisher Shogakukan. The following year, Shueisha became a separate, independent company. Magazines published by Shueisha include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Young Jump,...
's Ribon
Ribon
is a monthly Japanese shōjo manga magazine published by Shueisha. First issued in August 1955, its rivals are Nakayoshi and Ciao. Its target audience is young girls roughly 9–13 years old. In 2009, the magazine's circulation was 274,167, down from the previous year's circulation numbers of 330,000...
shōjo
Shojo
The term refers to manga marketed to a female audience roughly between the ages of 10-18. The name romanizes the Japanese 少女 , literally: "little female". Shōjo manga covers many subjects in a variety of narrative and graphic styles, from historical drama to science fiction — often with a strong...
magazine.
- Original concept/story:
- Director: Yuriko Kado
- Character design: Kozue Komatsu
- Cast: Chinami NishimuraChinami Nishimurais a Japanese voice actress who has voiced characters in both the Japanese and English-dubbed versions of Pokémon. Nishimura was born in Chiba Prefecture...
, others - Production: Toei AnimationToei AnimationToei Animation Co., Ltd. is a Japanese animation studio owned by Toei Co., Ltd. The studio was founded in 1948 as Japan Animated Films . In 1956, Toei purchased the studio and it was reincorporated under its current name...
Yumedamaya Kidan
— the fifth winner of the annual Animax Taishō in 2006. Animated by Production I.G.Production I.G.
is a Japanese anime studio and production enterprise, which was founded on December 15, 1987 by Mitsuhisa Ishikawa. It is headquartered in Kokubunji, Tokyo, Japan....
, the script was the first winner not to be animated by one of Animax's co-founding studios.
- Original concept/story:
- Director: Itsurō Kawasaki
- Original character design: Yōsuke TakahashiYosuke Takahashiis a Japanese horror manga artist who is known for his works Mugen Shinsi and Gakkō no Kaidan. He graduated from Komazawa University. He made his professional manga debut in 1977, and has had stories published in the manga anthology series Petit Apple Pie.-References:...
- Character design: Shōko Nakamura
- Cast: Yūka IguchiYuka Iguchiis a Japanese voice actress from Tokyo, Japan. She is affiliated with Office Osawa.-Anime:*Bakemonogatari *Bokurano *Boku wa Tomodachi ga Sukunai *C³ *Canvas 2...
- Production: Production I.G
Takane no Jitensha
— the sixth winner of the annual Animax Taishō in 2007. This was the first Animax Taishō to be open to an international audience as it was made available to Animax's broadcast networks worldwide. It was animated by A-1 PicturesA-1 Pictures
is a Japanese animation studio, a subsidiary of Sony's anime production firm Aniplex.-History:The studio was established by Sony's animation production division, Aniplex, on May 9, 2005, to animate its anime series and productions. In 2006, it co-produced the original production Zenmai Zamurai,...
, which was also established by one of Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
's subsidiaries, Aniplex
Aniplex
, formerly known as Sony Pictures Entertainment Visual Works Inc. and Sony Music Entertainment Visual Works Inc., is a Japanese anime and music production and distribution enterprise owned by Sony Music Entertainment Japan and established in January 1997...
. The supervising animation director and character designer was Sachiko Kamimura
Sachiko Kamimura
is a Japanese animator. She is noted for her work with Sunrise, where she was the supervising animator and character designer for the City Hunter series and several others, mentoring future several Sunrise character designers and animators, including Toshihiro Kawamoto.-Biography:Prior to working...
and featured Maaya Sakamoto
Maaya Sakamoto
is a Japanese singer-songwriter, actress, and voice actress. She made her debut as a voice actress in 1992 as the voice of Chifuru in the anime series Little Twins, but is more well known for her role as Hitomi Kanzaki in the hit anime series The Vision of Escaflowne...
as the title character.
- Original concept/story:
- Director: Naru Ikeda
- Character design: Sachiko KamimuraSachiko Kamimurais a Japanese animator. She is noted for her work with Sunrise, where she was the supervising animator and character designer for the City Hunter series and several others, mentoring future several Sunrise character designers and animators, including Toshihiro Kawamoto.-Biography:Prior to working...
- Cast: Maaya SakamotoMaaya Sakamotois a Japanese singer-songwriter, actress, and voice actress. She made her debut as a voice actress in 1992 as the voice of Chifuru in the anime series Little Twins, but is more well known for her role as Hitomi Kanzaki in the hit anime series The Vision of Escaflowne...
, others. - Production: A-1 PicturesA-1 Picturesis a Japanese animation studio, a subsidiary of Sony's anime production firm Aniplex.-History:The studio was established by Sony's animation production division, Aniplex, on May 9, 2005, to animate its anime series and productions. In 2006, it co-produced the original production Zenmai Zamurai,...