Why Does The Oscars Hate Anime?

Summary

In this impassioned critique, the speaker explores the Oscars' apparent disregard for anime, particularly following the snubbing of the 2017 hits *Your Name* and *A Silent Voice* in favor of films like *The Boss Baby*. The speaker highlights the history of the Academy's bias, with only a handful of Studio Ghibli films being nominated over the years, while ignoring a wealth of groundbreaking anime. Despite some improvements, the speaker argues that the Academy's system remains flawed, marginalizing the emotional depth and artistic innovation of anime in favor of predictable choices from major studios.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Oscars have historically ignored anime, with only two anime films being nominated in the past decade: 'Your Name' and 'A Silent Voice.'
• 😡 Despite the emotional and artistic achievements of anime films, the Academy has preferred to nominate films like 'The Boss Baby' over groundbreaking anime.
• 🎬 'Your Name' and 'A Silent Voice' were highly acclaimed, with 'Your Name' becoming the highest-grossing anime film at the time and both films being praised for their emotional depth and maturity.
• 🤔 The Oscars' exclusion of popular and critically acclaimed anime movies highlights a deeper issue of ignorance toward anime as a legitimate medium.
• 🏆 The Best Animated Feature category has a history of bias, mostly favoring Studio Ghibli films, which has resulted in a narrow, skewed representation of animation in the Oscars.
• 👀 Only eight anime films have ever been nominated for Best Animated Feature, with seven of them being from Studio Ghibli, specifically films by Hayao Miyazaki.
• 🌍 The Academy's repeated selection of Ghibli films over other anime works suggests tokenism rather than genuine recognition of the diversity within anime.
• 💔 The lack of recognition for major anime films such as 'Attack on Titan', 'Demon Slayer', 'I Want to Eat Your Pancreas', and 'Violet Evergarden' underscores the neglect of impactful works.
• 🎨 The Oscars’ current nomination process typically favors Pixar and DreamWorks films, while indie films get thrown in to balance the mix, disregarding innovative and emotionally resonant works from outside those studios.
• 🌟 While there are signs of improvement, such as the success of 'Spider-Verse' and other indie films, there's a call for more diverse recognition of animated works, especially anime, in future nominations.

Q & A

Why does the speaker express frustration about the Oscars' treatment of anime films?

The speaker is frustrated because the Oscars consistently ignore groundbreaking anime films like 'Your Name' and 'A Silent Voice,' favoring other animated films that they believe are less deserving of recognition.

What were two significant anime films released in 2017, and why were they important?

'Your Name' and 'A Silent Voice' were the two significant anime films. 'Your Name' became the highest-grossing anime film at the time, and 'A Silent Voice' was praised as one of the greatest manga adaptations in history. Both films are emotional and mature, with a strong impact on audiences.

What is the issue with the Oscars' selection of 'The Boss Baby' for Best Animated Feature?

The speaker finds it problematic that 'The Boss Baby,' which they criticize as a mediocre film, was nominated over more highly regarded anime films like 'Your Name' and 'A Silent Voice,' leading to the belief that the Oscars are dismissive of anime as a medium.

How many anime films have been nominated for Best Animated Feature in the history of the category?

Eight anime films have been nominated for Best Animated Feature, with seven of them being from Studio Ghibli, particularly films by Hayao Miyazaki.

Why does the speaker believe the Academy's recognition of anime is limited to Studio Ghibli films?

The speaker believes that by only nominating Studio Ghibli films, the Academy shows a lack of broader recognition for other anime works, which they feel are just as deserving of attention.

What criticism does the speaker have about the Oscars' general attitude toward animation?

The speaker criticizes the Oscars for often treating animation as a genre primarily for children, which undermines the emotional and narrative depth that many animated films, especially anime, offer.

What does the speaker suggest could improve the Oscars' treatment of anime films in the future?

The speaker suggests that to improve recognition, the Best Animated Feature category at the Oscars should be reformed, moving away from a predictable mix of Pixar and DreamWorks films and better considering the diversity and quality of animation from around the world.

How does the speaker describe the typical Oscar nomination process for animated films?

The nomination process is described as overly reliant on selecting predictable Pixar and DreamWorks films, with a few indie films sprinkled in, which results in a narrow range of nominees that often excludes innovative and emotional anime films.

What does the speaker hope will happen in future Oscar nominations for animated films?

The speaker hopes that in future Oscar nominations, anime films such as 'Demon Slayer' or 'Chainsaw Man' will be recognized, reflecting greater respect and recognition for anime in the global film industry.

What is the significance of the Academy's past treatment of Studio Ghibli in relation to anime's place in the Oscars?

The speaker views the repeated nominations of Studio Ghibli films as a positive sign of recognition for anime but also as a form of tokenism, where the Academy only acknowledges anime through Ghibli, thus excluding other significant works from the medium.