The first statuette presented at last year’s Academy Awards was the one for Best Animated Feature. There was little suspense, as “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” had swept the precursors and its victory was a foregone conclusion.
This year, there’s actually more excitement in the race. The Japanese fantastical coming-of-age tale “The Boy and the Heron” is facing off against the comic book smash sequel “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” “Elemental,” “Nimona” and “Robot Dreams” round out the list.
”Boy” and “Spider-Man” have been neck and neck in the Gold Derby odds, suggesting a photo finish. But here are five reasons why “The Boy and the Heron” will climb past “Spider-Man” to nab the Oscar.
1. The academy has been reluctant to honor animated sequels.
To date, the only such films to win this category have been 2010’s “Toy Story 3” and 2019’s “Toy Story 4.” The former was unique in that the previous “Toy Story” installments in 1995 and 1999 predated the introduction of Best Animated Feature in 2001, and the franchise had never been honored by the academy. As for the latter, it triumphed over another sequel (“How to Train Your Dragon 3”) as well as three much lower-profile entries (“I Lost My Body,” “Klaus” and “Missing Link”). Missing from the lineup was a clear-cut alternative, allowing “Toy Story 4” to enjoy another happy ending. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” won this category just five years ago. Voters may be reluctant to reward its sequel so soon, given the unique and original option of “The Boy and the Heron.”
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2. “The Boy and the Heron” is both a critical and commercial success.
It holds a brag-worthy 97% “Certified Fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, putting it just ahead of “Spider-Man” and considerably ahead of its remaining competitors. “The Boy and the Heron” finished first at the box office its opening weekend in December, becoming the first original anime production ever to do so. Its domestic box office gross is approaching $50 million, and its overseas ticket sales are more than double that. The positive reception from critics and audiences alike make “The Boy” an appealing choice.
3. It’s an opportunity to reward Hayao Miyazaki with another Academy Award.
The legendary Miyazaki is considered one of the greatest animated filmmakers in the world. He previously accepted the Animated Feature Oscar for 2002’s “Spirited Away,” and earned additional nominations for 2005’s “Howl’s Moving Castle” and 2013’s “The Wind Rises.” (Those years referenced are the U.S. release dates.) With “The Boy and the Heron” expected to be the final film of Miyazaki’s long and illustrious career, it seems fitting for it to finally bring him an Oscar bookend.
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4. It defeated Spidey at both the Golden Globes and BAFTA Awards.
Both contests were viewed as toss-ups. And both times “The Boy” walked away with the prize. This is significant because no film that has collected both awards has ever gone on to lose at the Oscars. In fact, the previous three Animated Feature champs (2020’s “Soul,” 2021’s “Encanto” and 2022’s “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio”) all went into the Oscars with that Globe+BAFTA combo. History suggests that “The Boy and the Heron” is virtually unbeatable.
5. It has the most emotional impact.
“The Boy and the Heron” deals with some very serious topics — the loss of a parent, family, fear and friendship. It does so in such a way that it doesn’t hit you over the head, but rather heads straight to your heart. It’s not the wild ride of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and doesn’t have the dazzling visuals displayed in “Elemental.” It’s a bit more elementary, but still every bit as compelling. That’s perhaps why it has resonated so well with critics, audiences and award groups alike. So expect that response to continue at the upcoming Academy Awards, with “The Boy and the Heron” flying away with the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
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