This year’s Tokyo Anime Award Festival (TAAF 2023) announced the winners of the Lifetime Achievement awards on Dec 8, 2022. The award recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of animation industry and culture.

The award also attempts to recognize the works of individuals who have contributed to the improvement of anime industry’s standing in general educational activities and international exchanges (global interaction).

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The selection is done by a panel of experts from various walks of the anime industry. The following members have won the TAAF 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award;

• Toru Hara, the producer of Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Castle in the Sky, My Neighbor Totoro, etc. He contributed to the growth of Studio Ghibli in its early days, and was once its head manager.
• Yoshio Urasawa, known for his work as a scriptwriter of Lupin III: Part 2, Ranma 1/2 and others.
• Akihiro Kanayama, the animation director for Ashita no Joe, Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam and other works.
• Kazutaka Miyatake, known for his work as a mechanical designer in Macross franchise, Eureka Seven, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny and other works
• Iwao Yamaki, who worked in Metropolis, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Lupin III anime and others.
• Shizuo Kurahashi, the founder and CEO of Sound Box, known for his major contribution in the field of sound effects. His known works include Cowboy Bebop, Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist, Perfect Blue and others.
• Voice Actor Motomu Kiyokawa, known for lending his voice in Neon Genesis Evangelion, Mobile Suit Gundam and other series.

TAAF2023 is set to be held in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, from March 10 to 13, 2023.

Its aim is “discovering and developing new talent, contributing to the promotion of the animation culture/industry, and conveying the appeal of Tokyo as promoting tourism in the city.” They had previously announced the 101 best anime of 2022 as chosen by fans.

The Tokyo Anime Awards started in 2002 but was named in 2005. The first, second and third award ceremonies were simply named ‘Competition’.The award ceremonies were held at the Tokyo International Anime Fair (TAF) until 2013.

In 2014, after the merger of the Tokyo International Anime Fair with the Anime Contents Expo and the formation of the AnimeJapan convention, the Tokyo Anime Awards was changed into a separate festival called Tokyo Anime Awards Festival (TAAF).

Source: Comic Natalie