Official Site: japan-academy-prize.jp (Japan) The Nippon Academy-sho Association hosted the 40th Japan Academy Film Prize (?40?????????) in Tokyo on March 3rd. Toho`s SHIN GODZILLA -- the top grossing Japanese live-action movie of 2016 -- took top honors with awards for best picture, co-directors Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi, and five technical categories. Toho had a particularly strong showing at the event. In addition to SHIN GODZILLA, the major categories were dominated by movies released and/or co-produced by the studio... San-il Lee`s drama RAGE starring Ken Watanabe, the all-star police thriller 64 (SIX FOUR) Part 1 and the anime feature YOUR NAME, Japan`s biggest box office hit of the year. The top anime feature award went to IN THIS CORNER OF THE WORLD, director Sunao Katabuchi`s adaptation of the award-winning manga by Fumiyo Kouno. North American distributor Shout! Factory will give the film a theatrical release in the US this summer. The list of winners is as follows. Click on the highlighted titles for additional coverage on SciFi Japan... ? Picture of the Year SHIN GODZILLA (??????, Shin Gojira) ? Animation of the Year IN THIS CORNER OF THE WORLD (????????, Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni) ? Director of the Year Hideaki Anno and Shinji Higuchi; SHIN GODZILLA ? Screenplay of the Year Makoto Shinkai; YOUR NAME. (?????, Kimi no Na wa.) ? Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role Koichi Sato; 64 (SIX FOUR) Part 1 (64 ???????, 64 Rokuyon Zenpen) ? Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role Rie Miyazawa; HER LOVE BOILS BATHWATER (???????????, Yu o Wakasu Hodo no Atsui Ai) ? Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role Satoshi Tsumabuki; RAGE (??, Ikari) ? Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role Hana Sugisaki; HER LOVE BOILS BATHWATER ? Outstanding Achievement in Music RADWIMPS; YOUR NAME. ? Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography Kousuke Yamada; SHIN GODZILLA ? Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Direction Takayuki Kawabe; SHIN GODZILLA ? Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction Yuji Hayashida and Eri Sakushima; SHIN GODZILLA ? Outstanding Achievement in Sound Recording Jun Nakamura and Haru Yamada; SHIN GODZILLA ? Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing Hideaki Anno and Atsuki Sato; SHIN GODZILLA ? Outstanding Foreign Language Film SULLY ? Newcomer of the Year Hana Sugisaki; HER LOVE BOILS BATHWATER Mitsuki Takahata; EVERGREEN LOVE (????, Shokubutsu Zukan) Kanna Hashimoto; SAILOR SUIT AND MACHINE GUN -GRADUATION- (?????????, Seeraa-Fuku to Kikanjuu -Sotsugyoo-) Takanori Iwata; EVERGREEN LOVE Kentaro Sakaguchi; 64: Part 1/64: Part 2 Takara Sakumoto; RAGE Yudai Chiba; THE MAGNIFICENT NINE (?????????, Tono, Risoku de Gozaru!) Mackenyu; CHIHAYAFURU Part.1 (????? -???-, Chihayafuru -Kami no Ku-)/CHIHAYAFURU Part.2 (????? -???-, Chihayafuru -Shimo no Ku-) ? Popularity Award Actor: Takanori Iwata; EVERGREEN LOVE Work: YOUR NAME. ? Special Award from the Chairman Masanobu Deme Isao Tomita Zenzo Matsuyama ? Special Award from the Association Akihiko Okase Hikozo Akamatsu Toshiharu Aida ? Japan Academy Prize for Distinguished Service from the Chairman (Lifetime Achievement) Chuji Kinoshita Kaoru Yachigusa Yoshinobu Nishioka Seijun Suzuki Machiko Kyo Shinobu Hashimoto

For more information on SHIN GODZILLA, please see the earlier coverage here on SciFi Japan:

• GODZILLA RESURGENCE: Exclusive High-Res Photos from Toho
• GODZILLA RESURGENCE: More Exclusive High-Res Photos from Toho
• Exclusive! Funimation Licenses GODZILLA RESURGENCE
• SHIN GODZILLA Press Release from Funimation Films
• Toho`s SHIN GODZILLA International Sales Materials
• SHIN GODZILLA: Exclusive High-Res Photos from Golden Village Pictures
• Funimation Films Promo Materials
• SHIN GODZILLA International Exclusive: Information and High-Res Photos from CatchPlay (Taiwan)
• SHIN GODZILLA North American Theatrical Release News from Funimation Films
• SHIN GODZILLA International Exclusive: Info, Trailer and High-Res Photos from TGV Pictures (Malaysia)
• SHIN GODZILLA Advance Tickets for North America On Sale Now
• SHIN GODZILLA International Exclusive: Thai Info, Trailers and High-Res Pics from Sahamongkolfilm
• SHIN GODZILLA Roars Onto the Big Screen in 60 Carmike Cinemas in October
• SHIN GODZILLA Stomps on Australian and New Zealand Cinemas in October
• SHIN GODZILLA US Theater List from Funimation Films
• SHIN GODZILLA New York Premiere Coverage and Review
• SHIN GODZILLA Day Arrives!
• SHIN GODZILLA Roars Into Theaters Tonight for Limited Engagement
• SHIN GODZILLA Capsule Reviews
• SHIN GODZILLA World Tour Continues Today in Australia
• Win SHIN GODZILLA Poster from Funimation Films!
• SHIN GODZILLA Extends Run with Encore Saturday Matinee and Screenings in Select Cities thru October 27
• SHIN GODZILLA Update: Matinee and Extended Run Theater List from Funimation Films
• Shin Godzilla 25cm Figure from X-Plus in December
• Shin Godzilla "Luminous Purple" Figure Kit from X-Plus and Premium Bandai in March 2017
• Shin Godzilla Red Figure Kit from X-Plus and Kadokawa in March 2017
• SHIN GODZILLA International Exclusive: Spanish Info, Trailers and High-Res Pics from A Contracorriente Films
• Shin Godzilla 12” Head-to-Tail Figure Coming from NECA in May
• SHIN GODZILLA International Exclusive: Korean Info, Trailer and High-Res Pics from MediaCastle
• SHIN GODZILLA Korean Release Update
• SHIN GODZILLA Korean Release Update: New Poster and Videos