Applause for Japanese Entertainment Works Taking up the Challenge

I was principally in charge of judging work in the animated feature film and TV animation fields. There were76 entries in all, 59 of which were submissions from within Japan. Although the Grand Prize was awarded to an overseas work, I was left with the impression that there has been real progress in CG technology in the world of Japanese animated works, while their expressive power continues to increase.However, among the animated films and animated TV series that were submitted, many were by directors whose names are already familiar. While these works possessed a high degree of perfection, it was a pity that they seemed to lack anything unfamiliar and surprising. In comparison, there were many short films submitted by overseas artists, and I observed their wide-ranging use of animation techniques and contents with keen interest.In works of entertainment made for release in theaters or on TV there is a requirement to meet the desires of the age, while the production of works with creative freedom such as short films takes place in difficult conditions. With this in mind, I would like to applaud the directors and staff of the Excellence Awards for their defiant approach. I fear that advances in technology might guide the direction taken by creators as they aim for an increasing level of perfection, but I hold hopes that strong narrative appeal will transcend such trends and enhance the tractive power of Japanese animation in the entertainment field.