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Hotarubi no Mori e, 663114 Win at 66th Mainichi Film Awards

The 66th Annual Mainichi Film Awards were announced on Tuesday, and the anime film Hotarubi no Mori e, the animated short "663114," and the manga-based live-action films Moteki and Mainichi Kaasan were among the winners.

Hotarubi no Mori e won the Animation Film Award. The film adapts Yuki Midorikawa's (Natsume Yūjin-Chō) supernatural romance manga. Anime studio Brains Base animated the film, with director Takahiro Omori and music by Makoto Yoshimori. The film stars Ayane Sakura (Dream Eater Merry) as Hotaru and Kouki Uchiyama (Infinite Stratos, C, Soul Eater) as Gin. The film opened in Japan on September 17.

Isamu Hirabayashi's "663114" anime short won the Noburou Oofuji Award, which honors animated works that offer new forms of creative expression. The 7-minute short responds to Japan's March 11 Great Eastern Japan Earthquake (Higashi Nihon Daishinsai) disaster. The anime film screened at the 68th Venice Film Festival in September and at the 2011 Vancouver International Film Festival in October. The short will also screen at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival this month. That film festival described the short as follows: "I am a 66-year-old cicada. There was a big earthquake. There was a big tsunami. There also was a big accident."

Mirai Moriyama won the Best Actor Award for his portrayal of Yukiyo in the live-action film adaptation of Mitsurou Kubo's Moteki romantic comedy manga. The film opened in Japan on September 23.

Kyōko Koizumi won the Best Actress Award for her portrayal of the title character in the live-action film adaptation of Rieko Saibara's Mainichi Kaasan family comedy manga. The film previously won the Best Film for Asian New Talent Award at the 14th Annual Shanghai International Film Festival in June.

Shōta Sometani won the Sponichi Grand Prix Rookie of the Year Award for his performance as Mii-kun in the live-action film adaptation of Hitoma Iruma's Uso-tsuki Mii-kun to Kowareta Maa-chan light novel series. Shiori Kutsuna (Mei-chan no Shitsuji, Beck, Gota Keshi: Jidan Kōshōnin Shirai Torajirō) shared the award with Sometani for her performance in My Back Page.

Michiyo Ookusu, who played Shiranui in the 1973 Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart in the Land of Demons live-action film, won the Kinuyo Tanaka Award. Hiromi Nagasaku (Angel, Mahō Tsukai ni Taisetsu na Koto) won the Best Supporting Actress Award for her performance in Youkame no Semi (Rebirth). Denden (Red Shadow: Akakage, Uzumaki) won the Best Supporting Actor Award for his performance in Tsumetai Nettaigyo. Hirokazu Kanakatsu (Boku to Kanojo no XXX) and Hikaru Hayashi (Vampire) won the Art Award and Music Award respectively for their work on Postcard (Ichimai no Hagaki).

The awards ceremony will be held on February 13 in Kawasaki in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Sources: Mainichi Shimbun's Mantan Web, Oricon

Image © 2011 Mainichi Kaa-san Film Production Committee © Rieko Saibara