Oscars 2024: ‘The Boy and the Heron’ becomes only the second anime to win ‘Best Animated Feature’
The Studio Ghibli movie The Boy and the Heron has made Oscars history by winning the ‘Best Animated Feature’ Academy Award.
In a turn-up for the books, it marks the second consecutive year that neither Disney nor Pixar have emerged victorious. In fact, following Netflix’s win for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio last year, it’s the first time the Mouse House has been shut out in consecutive years for almost two decades since Aardman’s Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit and Warner Bros.’ Happy Feet went back-to-back in 2005 and 2006.
The legendary Hayao Miyazaki ending his retirement was well worth it in the end, with The Boy and the Heron telling the poignant story of 12-year-old Mahito, who struggles to get to grips with his surroundings after moving to a new town after his mother’s death.
When the titular bird informs him that she’s very much alive, though, the intrepid youngster ventures into an abandoned tower in the hopes of tracking her down and reconnecting, only to find himself transported to another world.
The Studio Ghibli production maintains the outfit’s reputation for crafting some of the most moving, poignant, and thought-provoking animated movies of the modern era through its distinctive art style and storytelling methods, with The Boy and the Heron becoming only the second-ever anime to take home the ‘Best Animated Feature’ prize.
Miyazaki’s hotly-anticipated return was always expected to see off the competition, and the Oscar couldn’t have gone to a more deserving candidate.
What was the first anime film to win an Oscar?
Befitting his background as one of the medium’s most revered creative voices, the first anime film to win an Oscar was also directed by Miyazaki when Spirited Away was named ‘Best Animated Feature’ in 2003.
Since then, only three more anime films have even been nominated, and it shouldn’t be a shock to discover that two of them involved Miyazaki in some capacity, which in turn tied him with Pixar veteran Pete Docter as having the most nominations in the category for a single filmmaker with four.
Miyazaki’ Howl’s Moving Castle and The Wind Rises ensured he was the only anime director to receive recognition in the ‘Best Animated Feature’ race for well over a decade before Isao Takahata’s The Tale of the Princess Kaguya was shortlisted in 2014.
Where to watch The Boy and the Heron
With The Boy and the Heron still playing in cinemas around the United States, Canada, and Europe, the film isn’t yet available to rent or purchase, so anyone who wants to see it imminently needs to plan a trip to their local cinema.
The ‘Best Animated Feature’ winner has been confirmed for its streaming premiere on Max in June, though, while specifics for a DVD, Blu-ray and digital release date have yet to be revealed.
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