The Mainichi Shimbun newspaper announced the winners for the 73rd Annual Mainichi Film Awards on Wednesday. Kitaro Kousaka , DLE , and Madhouse 's Okko's Inn film won this year's Best Animation Film award. Naoko Yamada and Kyoto Animation 's Liz and the Blue Bird won the Noburou Oofuji Award, which honors animated works that offer new forms of creative expression.

This year's awards ceremony will be held on February 14 at the Culttz Kawasaki in Kawasaki, Kanagawa.

The Mainichi Shimbun launched the Noburou Oofuji Award in 1962, and it is Japan's oldest ongoing animation award. The newspaper then launched the Animation Film Award in 1989.

Previous winners of the Animation Film Award include:

Previous winners of the Noburou Oofuji Award include:

Source: The Maincihi Shimbun's Mantan Web