The music chart company Billboard announced the winners of the Japan Billboard Music Awards for 2011 and Nana Mizuki won as Animation Artist of the Year for the second year running. The prize is an audience vote out of any anime song artist who hit #1 on that chart over the past year. In 2011, Mizuki sang hits including "Junketsu Paradox" (the ending to Blood-C) and "Scarlet Knight" (the opening to Dog Days). Of winning she said, "I'm very happy. The fact that Billboard Japan Music Awards even has an animation award makes me feel, working as a voice actress, so grateful, and then to win it makes me super happy."

AKB48 won in four categories: Artist of the Year, Top Pop Artist, Hot 100 Single Sales, and Hot 100 of the Year. Their comment: "Being the first in history to win in four categories makes us full of emotions— 'Are we really good enough? We're so honored.' We're going to work even harder to become a group worthy of this outcome."

The top charted anime song of the year was "T.W.L." (theme to last year's Crayon Shin-chan movie, Arashi wo Yobu Ougon no Spy Daisakusen) by Kanjani 8.

For the full list of winners, check out Billboard's official site.

Source: Anime! Anime! via Jam Guru