Shinkai became the first Japanese person to be selected for Variety magazine’s “10 Animators to Watch” award.
The Director’s Comment
I am honored to be selected for the “10 Animators to Watch” award for Variety, a magazine that has over a century of history behind it. My abilities as a creator are very modest, and though we live in an age that is sometimes touted as the downfall of Japanese entertainment, I intend to look into the distance and far above with my staff to create works that we can be proud of both in Japan and overseas. Thank you so much for this wonderful award.