Almost 10 years have passed since your name (d)Kimi No Na Wa) swept at the box office around the world. However, their exclusion in Oscars It remains a topic of discussion within the world of anime and international animation. Now, new statements from the film’s producer, Noritaka Kawaguchi, have revived the debate. These statements directly point to funimation as responsible for the film not being nominated for Best animated film in the Academy Awards in 2017.
During a talk titled “How far can the anime go? The global adventure of CWF”, Kawaguchi He offered an honest and unfiltered panorama. According to him, this prevented your name (d)Kimi No Na Wa) obtained the recognition it deserved from the Academy. Together with him they participated Aoi Ishimaru, of Comix Wave Films International Business Department, and Mie Onishi, advisor from the same area. Statements, collected by means such as GIGAZINE, not only responsible funimationbut also underscore the structural changes that the Academy Since then.
A success without Oscar
your name It premiered in 2016 and quickly became a global phenomenon. The romantic and supernatural story about two teenagers, Mitsuha and Taki, who exchange bodies and dreams for a cosmic connection with a comet, moved audiences of all ages. In Japan, the film grossed more than 25 billion yen (about $172 million). Its global box office exceeded 405 million dollars, consolidating itself as the most successful anime of the year.
Despite its phenomenal success and being widely praised by critics, your name (d)Kimi No Na Wa) failed to sneak between nominees Best animated film in the Oscar. Instead, that year, the prize went to Zootopia of Disney, which perplexed many fans of Japanese cinema.
The distributor under the magnifying glass
In his statements, Kawaguchi It was direct: “your name (d)Kimi No Na Wa) was not nominated because the distributor was funimation. If we had entrusted the distribution rights to Sony Pictures, we could have been nominated.” In addition, his statement suggests a strategic error and suggests that the company responsible for bringing the film to the American public did not live up to the potential of the work.
funimation, between 2016 and 2021, was one of the leading anime distributors in the United States. It had a strong presence in the market at the time. However, the company was primarily known for its focus on domestic dubbing and launching. This influenced more than his ability to position titles to compete in the international awards circuit.
Though Kawaguchi did not say specific details about the management of funimation, made it clear that “political problems” influenced the decision of the academy. Those factors could have included from an ineffective promotion campaign to a lack of presence and influence in Hollywood circles that traditionally dominate the Oscar.
What if Sony had been behind?
The mention of Sony It’s not accidental. In recent years, Sony Pictures has increased its presence in the anime world. This happened mostly after acquiring Crunchyroll. With a more robust media device, contacts in Hollywood and increased experience in prize campaigns, Sony He has become a key player in bringing the anime to new audiences and platforms.
his own Kawaguchi He suggests that, having been Sony Behind the distribution, the result could have been very different. The implication is clear your name (d)Kimi No Na Wa) did not lack merit to be nominated. He just didn’t have the right strategy at the time.
A transforming academy
During the event, Mie Onishi It also addressed how the voting system in the Oscar It has evolved since 2017. “The number of voters has multiplied by ten in the last five years,” he explained. “Before, there were less than a thousand people, most in small Hollywood circles, who decided the winners. Now there are around 10,000.”
This expansion and diversification of voters has had visible effects. In 2024, The boy and the heron of Hayao Miyazaki won the Oscar to Best animated film, even surpassing Elementary of Pixar. a year earlier, Pinocchio of William Del Toro RHegemony with the hegemony of Disney, marking a new era in the animated film awards.
According to Onishi, “definitely the tide has changed”. These words give hope that future films of Makoto Shinkai and other Japanese directors have a greater chance of competing under equal conditions.
A more promising future for Makoto Shinkai
the case of your name (d)Kimi No Na Wa) is not the only one. Other movies from SHINKAI as Weathering with you and suzume They have also been celebrated internationally. Although without achieving the long-awaited golden statuette, recent changes in the academy and the growing popularity of anime in Western cinema suggest that the doors seem more open than ever.
the next project of Makoto Shinkai, as well as the long-awaited live-action movie based on your name, could benefit from this new context. While the snub from the past cannot be changed, the global recognition of Japanese animated cinema continues to rise.
