Animation Kobe


The Animation Kobe was an event established by Kobe in 1996 to promote anime and other visual media. The Animation Kobe Awards are given annually by Kobe and the Organising Committee to creators and creations.

Event

Animation Kobe has been held annually in Kobe since 1996. In addition to the awards ceremony, the event holds screenings of the prize winners and talk shows. The 11th event, in 2006, was carried live on the official website. The awards event was closed in 2015.
No.Event nameDatePlace
1The 1st Animation KobeDecember 8, 1996Kobe Fashion Mart
2The 2nd Animation KobeNovember 24, 1997Kobe Portopia Hotel
3The 3rd Animation KobeNovember 22, 1998Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall
4The 4th Animation KobeNovember 13, 1999Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall
5The 5th Animation KobeNovember 12, 2000Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall
6The 6th Animation KobeSeptember 16, 2001Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall
7The 7th Animation KobeNovember 10, 2002Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall
8The 8th Animation KobeNovember 9, 2003Kobe Chamber of Commerce and Industry Hall
9The 9th Animation KobeNovember 14, 2004Xebec hall
10The 10th Animation KobeOctober 2, 2005Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall
11The 11th Animation KobeNovember 19, 2006Xebec hall
12The 12th Animation KobeNovember 4, 2007Nishiyama Kinen-kaikan
13The 13th Animation KobeNovember 2, 2008Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall
14The 14th Animation KobeOctober 18, 2009Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall
15The 15th Animation KobeNovember 28, 2010Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall
16The 16th Animation KobeOctober 6, 2011Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall
17The 17th Animation KobeDecember 2, 2012Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall
18The 18th Animation KobeDecember 8, 2013Kobe International Conference Center, Main Hall
19The 19th Animation KobeDecember 7, 2014Design and Creative Center Kobe

Major staff

; Chairman of the Committee
; Chairman of the examination
The examination is done mainly by a panel of chief editors of the magazines covering anime, such as Newtype, Animedia and Animage. Usually, one of the city employees sent by Kobe City also participates. The panel vote for one of its members to serve as chairman:
The committee chooses most of the winners. Only the Animation Kobe Theme Song Award is chosen by fans' votes in the first selection, though the decision is by the committee. Therefore, the tendency of the prize winners is a little different from other
prizes by the fans' vote.

Individual Award

The activities from September of the previous year to August of the event year become objects for the examination. Newcomers expected to have future prominence are noted.
No.YearWinnerNotable work of the year
11996Hideaki AnnoDirector
21997Hayao MiyazakiDirector
31998Shinichi WatanabeDirector *
41999Akitaro DaichiDirector
52000Hiroyuki OkiuraDirector *
62001Hiroyuki KitakuboDirector
72002Keiichi HaraDirector
82003Yōsuke KurodaScreenwriter
92004Kenji KamiyamaDirector
102005Ken'ichi YoshidaAnimator
112006Hiroshi NagahamaDirector *
122007Hiroyuki ImaishiDirector
132008Mitsuo IsoDirector *
142009Kunio KatōDirector *
152010Mamoru HosodaDirector *
162011Mari OkadaScreenwriter
172012Noriyasu AgematsuMusic producer, composer, lyricist
182013Tsutomu MizushimaDirector
192014Seiji KishiDirector
202015Seiji MizushimaDirector

* Watanabe, Okiura, Nagahama, Iso and Katō received the award for their first films as director.

Special Award

Awards for individual or group that contributed to Japanese anime during a long period.
In the first year, the Yomiuri Award was posthumously given to Fujiko F. Fujio who died two months before the event.
No.YearWinnerNote
11996Fujiko F. FujioYomiuri Award. Manga artist: the creator of Doraemon etc.
21997Masako NozawaVoice actor
31998Yasuo ŌtsukaAnimator
41999Takao KoyamaScreenwriter
52000Shigeharu ShibaAudio director
62001Kunio OkawaraMechanical designer
72002Masao MaruyamaProducer
82003Leiji MatsumotoManga artist
92004Shigeru WatanabeProducer
102005Ippei Kuri A founder of Tatsunoko Production, awarded for his activities as general producer.
112006Group TACStudio
112006Nobuyo Ōyama
Noriko Ohara
Michiko Nomura
Kazuya Tatekabe
Kaneta Kimotsuki
Voice actors: main cast of Doraemon
122007Isao TakahataDirector
132008Masaki TsujiScreenwriter
142009Shun-ichi YukimuroWriter
152010Studio BihoStudio
162011Osamu DezakiDirector
162011Detective ConanProduction Team
172012SanzigenStudio
182013Shōji KawamoriDirector, mecha designer, vision creator
182013Izumi TodoCreative team
192014Kyoto AnimationStudio

Theatrical Film Award

Animation films released in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year become candidates. The candidates are selected not only from Japan, but also from other countries. However, the committee sees more importance in a point of view promoting young creators of Japan.
No.YearTitleStudioDirector
11996Ghost in the ShellProduction I.GMamoru Oshii
21997Princess MononokeStudio GhibliHayao Miyazaki
31998'OLMKunihiko Yuyama
41999'MadhouseMorio Asaka
52000'MadhouseMorio Asaka
62001Spirited AwayStudio GhibliHayao Miyazaki
72002The Cat ReturnsStudio GhibliHiroyuki Morita
82003Millennium ActressMadhouseSatoshi Kon
92004'Production I.GMamoru Oshii
102005New Translation Zeta Gundam: Heirs to the StarsSunriseYoshiyuki Tomino
112006The Girl Who Leapt Through TimeMadhouseMamoru Hosoda
122007PaprikaMadhouseSatoshi Kon
132008'KharaHideaki Anno
142009WALL-EPixarAndrew Stanton
152010The Disappearance of Haruhi SuzumiyaKyoto AnimationYasuhiro Takemoto
162011Macross Frontier: Sayonara no TsubasaSatelightShōji Kawamori
172012K-On! The MovieKyoto AnimationNaoko Yamada
182013The Garden of WordsShinkai Creative, CoMix Wave FilmsMakoto Shinkai
192014'ShaftAkiyuki Shinbo
202015Production I.GKazuya Nomura

Television Award

The TV animations broadcast in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year, excluding rebroadcasts, become candidates. The candidates are selected not only from Japan but also from other countries. However, the committee sees more importance in a point of view promoting young creators of Japan.
No.YearTitleStudioDirectorScreenwriter
11996Neon Genesis EvangelionGainax & TatsunokoHideaki AnnoHideaki Anno
21997Revolutionary Girl UtenaJ.C.StaffKunihiko IkuharaYōji Enokido
31998Cowboy BebopSunriseShinichirō WatanabeKeiko Nobumoto
41999∀ GundamSunriseYoshiyuki TominoYoshiyuki Tomino
52000Infinite RyviusSunriseGorō TaniguchiYōsuke Kuroda
62001Angelic LayerBonesHiroshi NishikioriIchirō Ōkouchi
72002RahXephonBonesYutaka IzubuchiChiaki J. Konaka
82003Mobile Suit Gundam SEEDSunriseMitsuo FukudaYoshiyuki Tomino
92004Fullmetal AlchemistBonesSeiji MizushimaShō Aikawa
102005GonzoMahiro Maeda
112006The Melancholy of Haruhi SuzumiyaKyōto AnimationTatsuya IshiharaYutaka Yamamoto
122007Code GeassSunriseGorō TaniguchiIchirō Ōkouchi
132008Code Geass 2SunriseGorō TaniguchiIchirō Ōkouchi
142009Eden of the EastProduction I.GKenji KamiyamaKenji Kamiyama
152010K-On!!Kyoto AnimationNaoko YamadaReiko Yoshida
162011Puella Magi Madoka MagicaShaftAkiyuki ShinboGen Urobuchi
172012YuruYuriDogakoboMasahiko OhtaTakashi Aoshima
182013Attack on TitanWit StudioTetsurō ArakiYasuko Kobayashi
192014Love Live!SunriseTakahiko KyōgokuJukki Hanada
202015ShirobakoP.A.WorksTsutomu MizushimaMichiko Yokote

Packaged Work Award

The packaged media distributed in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year become candidates. The candidates are selected not only from Japan but also from other countries. However, the committee sees more importance in a point of view promoting young creators of Japan.
No.YearTitleDeveloper /
Anime Studio
Type
11996Key the Metal IdolStudio PierrotOVA
21997'SunriseOVA
31998Sakura Taisen 2 ~Kimi, Shinitamou koto Nakare~SegaVideo game
31998Sakura Taisen: Ouka KenranRADIXOVA
41999Blue Submarine No. 6GONZOOVA
52000ShenmueSega-AM2Video game
62001'Polyphony DigitalVideo game
72002Voices of a Distant StarMakoto ShinkaiHand-made anime
82003Sentō Yōsei YukikazeGONZOOVA
92004Haré+Guu FINALBandai VisualOVA
102005DiebusterGainaxOVA
112006The Wings of ReanSunriseOVA
122007Production I.GTelevision film

Network Award

Re-created in 2000 as Network Media Award, the anime-related media making the best use of interactive distribution in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year become candidates.
The word Network does not mean only Internet. The candidates are selected not only from Japan but also from other countries. However, the committee sees more importance in a point of view promoting young creators of Japan.

Theme Song Award

The theme songs of either anime or other forms of animated media distributed in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year become candidates. The voting by fans is counted, and the five songs with the highest number of votes become the candidates for the final competition. Especially, the committee sees more importance in original songs made for an anime, sung in the 'spirit' of the work.
Only the Thema Song Award is influenced by the fans. This format started from the 4th event. The total number of votes in a year is about 10,000 votes. The result of the vote is also announced on the official sites of Radio Kansai, Anitama.com and the programs of Radio Kansai before the event. Though this is a preliminary vote to reduce the candidates to final, as of 2013 the candidates chosen in first by the vote have always won the award.