Japan Academy Awards 2015 Results

The World War II drama The Eternal Zero was the big winner at the 38^th Japan Academy Prize award ceremony taking Picture of the year and best director for Takashi Yamazaki. Another big winner from that film is Junichi Okada who won Best Actor for his portrayal of a kamikaze pilot and he also won best supporting actor for the historical drama, A Samurai Chronicle, becoming the first male actor to get two Japan Academy acting awards. Not only that but he won Most Popular Actor.

Rie Miyazawa’s performance as a bank employee in a lurid affair in Daihachi Yoshida’s drama Pale Moon managed to net her Best Actress in a category full of excellent competitors, while Haru Kuroki took best supporting actress.

The Eternal Zero also took many of the technical awards such as lighting and cinematography.

Looking at the nominees and winners, one cannot help but see it as a pretty dull line-up of films designed not to offend anyone (particularly those of a conservative nature).

Here are the nominees with the winners in bold:

Picture of the Year
The Eternal Zero
Pale Moon
Little House
A Samurai Chronicle
Cape Nostalgia

Animation of the Year
Stand by Me Doraemon

When Marnie was There
Giovanni’s Island
Detective Conan
Buddha 2: Tezuka Osamu no Buddha: Owarinaki Tabi

Director of the Year
Takashi Yamazaki – The Eternal Zero

Daihachi Yoshida – Pale Moon

Izuru Narushima – Cape Nostalgia
Takashi Koizumi – A Samurai Chronicle
Katsuhide Motoki – Samurai Hustle/Mission Impossible: Samurai

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role
Junichi Okada – The Eternal Zero

Hiroshi Abe – Cape Nostalgia

Koji Yakusho – A Samurai Chronicle
Kuranosuke Sasaki – Samurai Hustle/Mission Impossible: Samurai
Kiichi Nakai – Snow On the Blades

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
Rie Miyazawa – Pale Moon

Sakura Ando – 0.5mm
Chizuru Ikewaki – The Light Shines Only There
Mao Inoue – Snow White Murder Case (Review)
Fumi Nikaido – My Man
Sayuri Yoshinaga – Cape Nostalgia

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role
Junichi Okada – A Samurai Chronicle

Abe Hiroshi – Snow on the Blades
Ito Hideaki – Wood Job!
Shofukutei Tsurube – Cape Nostalgia
Haruma Miura – The Eternal Zero

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role
Haru Kuroki – The Little House

Yuko Oshima – Pale Moon
Satomi Kobayashi – Pale Moon
Yuko Takeuchi – Cape Nostalgia
Sumiko Fuji – Maiko is ready

Screenplay of the Year

Akihiro Dobashi – Samurai Hustle/Mission Impossible: Samurai

Takashi Yamazaki, Tamo Hayashi – The Eternal Zero

Yoji Yamada – The Little House

Masato Kato Teruo Abe – Cape Nostalgia

Kaeko Hayafune – Pale Moon

Rookies of the Year (THEY ARE ALL WINNERS)
Rena Nounen – Hot Road
Sosuke Ikematsu – Pale Moon, Vortex of Love, Our Family

Nana Komatsu – The World of Kanako (Review)
Hiroomi Tosaka – Hot Road
Sota Fukushi – In The Hero, As the God’s Will, Say “I Love You”