Tokyo Anime Award Festival 2026(TAAF2026) calls for feature and short animated films with high potential and strong messages from all over the world. Our aim is to screen high-quality animated films superior in originality, provide opportunities to inspire audience as well as creators, cultivate new talents, and contribute in the development and promotion of animation cultures and industry.

• Festival Period: March 13 (Fri) – 16 (Mon), 2026
• Venue: Ikebukuro, Tokyo

Categories

1. Feature Animation (60 min. or longer)
2. Short Animation (less than 30 min. )

*Any animated films longer than 30 min. but less than 60 min. shall be applied to the category of Feature Animation first. The TAAF office will contact the applicant later to notify which category is appropriate for the film.

Requirements:

• The film must have been completed on, or after, January 1, 2024 (regardless of country of origin, and whether it is professional, amateur or student work).
• The film that has been theatrically released, paid video streaming, broadcast, or distributed for profit in Japan for a certain period prior to March 12(Thu), 2026 is not eligible for the Competition (such film would qualify under the “Anime of the Year” category). Screening at film festivals and previews are not considered “for-profit” herein.
• The film that has been nominated to TAAF in the past will not be accepted.
• No submission fee is required.
• The application deadlines are as follows;
  • Short Animation: October 31 (Fri), 2025
  • Feature Animation: November 10 (Mon), 2025
• Once submissions have closed, the Preliminary Selection Committee will select the nominees for the final judging. The result of the selection process will be communicated to successful applicants, and the list of nominated films will be posted on the TAAF official website.
• The screening material should be either of the following:
  Apple ProRes (1920 x 1080 pix.) or DCP(for Feature Animation)
• The nominated films will be publicly screened at designated theaters during the festival period in Tokyo, during which time final judging will be conducted by the Competition Jury.
• The screening schedule will be announced after the preliminary selection on the TAAF official website.
• The following prizes are awarded to excellent films:
  Grand Prize (both for Feature and Short, a cash award of 500,000 yen)
  Award of Excellence (both for Feature and Short, a cash award of 100,000 yen)
  Best Student Film (entries in Short Animation, a cash award of 100,000 yen)
  and other prizes (if applicable).

Please read this outline and regulations carefully before your application.
We look forward to your application for TAAF2026.

CONTACT

Tokyo Anime Award Festival Office
(The Association of Japanese Animations)
E-mail: info@animefestival.jp

Winners of TAAF2025

TAAF2025 Feature Animation Competition Jury

Kazuki SunamiManaging Director, CoMix Wave Films Inc.

Born in Tokyo in 1972. Graduated from St. Cloud State University in 1998. In 1999, he joined CWF's predecessor, CoMix Wave. He has handled the overseas releases of Director Makoto Shinkai's films beginning with "Voices of a Distant Star", in 2002, and ever since, has accompanied the director on his world tours and Middle East workshop. He was appointed to the board of CoMix Wave Films in 2007, and currently supports both overseas and domestic business as head of business development.

Yoshiyuki MomoseAnimation Director

Animation Director. Yoshiyuki Momose joined Studio Ghibli after working as Key Animator on Isao Takahata's "Grave of the Fireflies"(1988), then played a leading role in various STUDIO GHIBLI films such as "Pom Poko"(1994), "Princess Mononoke"(1997), and "Spirited Away"(2001) and directed "Ghiblies episode 2"(2002). At Studio Ponoc, he directed "Life Ain’t Gonna Lose of Modest Heroes – Ponoc Short Films Theatre, Volume 1"(2018), "Tomorrow’s Leaves"(2021), a short film created with the Olympic Foundation for Culture and Heritage and the theatrical feature "The Imaginary"(2023).

Kenneth T. ItoAnimation Producer, phuuz entertainment

A veteran of the animation industry for over 30 years, Kenneth T. Ito started his career with Tokyo Movie Shinsha Entertainment in 1986. From there, he went on to work at various animation studios that include DIC Entertainment and Film Roman. From 2011 to 2020, he spearheaded the Marvel Animation unit in Glendale, CA as the Director of Animation Production, producing various series such as "Hulk and the Agents of SMASH"; "Avengers Assemble"; "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Spider-Man". Currently, Ito is a partner of phuuz entertainment, a media content development company.

Kerdi OengoProducer, Nukufilm

Kerdi Oengo is the executive producer of the stop-motion animation studio Nukufilm since 2003. She has a MA degree in economics and has attended several workshops of TV and animation production around Europe. She has been the producer or production manager of 50 animation shorts plus 2 internationally co-produced full-length animated features – "Lisa Limone and Maroc Orange" and "Captain Morten and the Spider Queen". In 2023 a short film "Koerkorter (Dog Apartment)" was officially shortlisted to Academy Award Oscar in the short animation category. She has also been a lector of production in Estonian Art Academy animation department and Baltic Media School.
Member of the Board of Estonian Animation Association. Member of the Council of Estonian Filmmakers Association. Member of the Board of European Animation Awards Emile Awards.

TAAF2025 Short Animation Competition Jury

Azuru IsshikiAnimation Artist

Born in 1949. Isshiki went freelance after spending 5 years at Toei Doga Co. (TV) and acts as an animation artist working on laser animation illustrations. She also participated in 'G9+1' (an animation production group composed of 10 members) , a member of JAA (Japan Animation Association) and ASIFA (Association Internationale du Film d'Animation).
Her representative works include "Wind" (awarded at the Shanghai Animation Festival), "A Day of the Earth" (animation part, awarded at the International Environmental Film Festival, sponsored by TOKYO GAS Co., Ltd), "TOKYO Fantasia" (G9+1) (won the Grand Prize at Tokyo International Anime Fair).

Shinji SeyaAnimation Director, Tezuka Productions Co., Ltd.

Born in December 24, 1959. Seya commits to the degitalization of the industry as an animation director and a manager of the digital lab at Tezuka Productions Co., Ltd..
His representative works include "Astro Boy" (Chief Animation Director, Character Design), "ALLISON & LILLIA" (Chief Animation Director, Character Design), "Mouse Story: The Adventures of George and Gerald" (Animation Director, Character Setting). He also held the position of Chairperson of the human resource development committee at ANIMETAMAGO, a human resource development project.

Julien BisaroDirector

French director, Julien Bisaro studied at the Beaux-Arts Academy and at the Poudrière Animation School in Valence. He worked on feature films in a variety of capacities: background artist and layout-man on "Brendan and the Secret of Kells"; animator and chief lay-out designer on "Ernest and Célestine"; story-boarder and graphics co-author on "Le tableau"; story-boarder on "I Lost My Body" for witch Julien was nominated at the 47th Annie Awards. His first short, "Bang Bang!", co-written with Claire Paoletti, was César 2015 nominee and received 17 International prizes. He then directed "Shooom’s Odyssey", co-written with Paoletti, a 26' film produced by their own company, Picolo Pictures. Multi-awarded, the film received the Cristal for the Best TV Production in Annecy Festival 2020, the Best Production Design/TV Media Award in the 48th Annie Awards and was 2021 César nominee. Julien is currently developing "The Little Run", his first feature film.

Suresh EriyatDirector

Born in November 1973, Suresh Eriyat graduated from the National Institute of Design in 1997, specializing in Animation Film Design. In 1999, he founded Famous House of Animation in collaboration with Famous Studios, creating numerous groundbreaking animated ads, shorts, and music videos that redefined Indian animation. In 2009, he launched Studio Eeksaurus with his wife, Nilima, further elevating India's animation industry on the global stage. Suresh has won prestigious awards, including the Annecy Cristal in 2015, and the President's National Award for Best Animated Film in 2016, 2018, and 2022. He has been a jury member for several renowned international awards and continues to inspire future filmmakers. Beyond filmmaking, Suresh is a prolific illustrator whose sketches of daily life inspired his acclaimed book "Drawing Stories". He is also a trained Indian Classical vocalist, and his deep understanding of sound design enhances the emotional depth of his films.