The Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2025 (TAAF 2025) held its awards ceremony on March 10, announcing the winners across various categories. The theatrical anime Look Back received the "Anime of the Year" (Film Category) award, while director Kiyotaka Oshiyama was honored in the "Best Director/Direction" category.

Director Kiyotaka Oshiyama’s Absence & Message of Gratitude

Oshiyama, who was unable to attend the ceremony, shared a message, read on his behalf by Kazuto Matsumura, producer at Avex Animation Labels:

"Look Back was fortunate to reach so many people. Receiving an individual award alongside the work itself is truly special, and I am deeply grateful to the selection committee."

However, he humorously admitted:

"I regret not being there today. But if I may explain myself—my workload ended up being three times longer than expected, and with Look Back’s overwhelming response, I am now racing against the deadline. So, this is my own fault. My apologies!"

He also reflected on his approach to directing:

"I personally handled much of the animation, transcending the traditional role of a director in commercial animation. While stability and efficiency are key in animation production, the importance of individual creators is growing. The evolving industry has made it possible for someone like me to work as a director from within a studio—something that would have been impossible 20 years ago."

He concluded by expressing deep gratitude to the production team and everyone involved.

Producer Ryō Oyama’s Acceptance Speech

Accepting the "Anime of the Year" (Film Category) award, Ryō Oyama, producer at Avex Animation Labels, said:

"We are truly honored that our endless efforts in film creation have been recognized in this way. We will continue to deliver carefully crafted works and remain dedicated to animation."

About Look Back

Based on the manga by Chainsaw Man creator Tatsuki Fujimoto, Look Back follows Fujino and Kyomoto, two students connected through manga, showcasing their growth and struggles. The story takes an emotional turn when a life-shattering event occurs, making it one of Fujimoto’s most acclaimed works. The film has grossed 2.04 billion yen at the box office.

TAAF 2025: Full List of Award Winners

🏆 Competition Category
Grand Prize (Feature Film): A Boat in the Garden
Excellence Award (Feature Film): Clarice's Dream
Grand Prize (Short Film): Loneliness & Laundry
Excellence Award (Short Film): The Bear and the Bird
Toshima City Mayor’s Award: Pietra
Student Award: Yobi and Amari: Story of Spares
Governor of Tokyo Award: Given to Grand Prize winners

🏆 Anime of the Year
Best TV Series: Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
Best Film: Look Back

🏆 Individual Awards
Best Writer/Screenplay: Hiroyuki Yoshino (Gegege no Kitaro: The Birth of Kitaro - The Mystery of Gegege)
Best Director/Direction: Kiyotaka Oshiyama (Look Back)
Best Animator: Tōko Yatabe (Gegege no Kitaro: The Birth of Kitaro - The Mystery of Gegege)
Best Art/Color/Visual Effects: Mai Ichioka (Gegege no Kitaro: The Birth of Kitaro - The Mystery of Gegege)
Best Sound & Performance: Evan Call (Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End)

🏆 Anime Fan Award
Gegege no Kitaro: The Birth of Kitaro - The Mystery of Gegege

🏆 Achievement Awards (Anime Industry Contributors)
Masami Iwasaki (Moomin, Fang of the Sun Dougram – Producer)
Takayuki Yoshii (Crusher Joe, Brave Exkaiser – Producer)
Kazuhide Tomonaga (Lupin III: The Castle of Cagliostro, Little Nemo – Animator)
Sachiko Nonaka (Doraemon, Crayon Shin-chan – Color Designer)
Shuuichi Kakesu (Ghost in the Shell, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie – Editor)
Seiji Suzuki (Golgo 13, Anpanman – Sound Director)
Ken'yuu Horiuchi (Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ – Voice Actor)

TAAF 2025 & Its Mission

The Tokyo Anime Award Festival (TAAF), now in its 12th year, is an international animation festival with three core categories:
1️⃣ Competition Category – Recognizing global animated films not yet released in Japan.
2️⃣ Anime of the Year Category – Honoring domestic anime series and films.
3️⃣ Achievement Category – Celebrating veteran anime industry professionals.

With the slogan "Tokyo: The Hub of Animation", the event aims to foster global creative exchange, support emerging talent, and promote Tokyo’s cultural appeal through animation.

Look Back Official Trailer

Source : ORICON NEWS