Studio Ghibli's "Karigurashi no Arietti" ("The Borrower Arrietty") was named best animation Friday at the 34th Japan Academy Prizes in Tokyo.
Directed by Hiromasa Yonebayashi and written by Hayao Miyazaki, Karigurashi No Arietti won over Keiichi Hara and Asention's Colorful, Kôzô Kuzuha and Shinei Animation's Eiga Doraemon: Nobita no Ningyo Daikaisen, Yasuichiro Yamamoto and TMS Entertainment's Detective Conan: The Lost Ship in The Sky, and Munehisa Sakai and Toei Animation's One Piece Film Strong World.
This is only the fifth year for the best animation category. Earlier winners were The Girl Who Leapt Through Time, Tekkonkinkreet, Ponyo and Summer Wars. And earlier still, Studio Ghibli's Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away won the overall Japan Academy Prize for best film.
Pixar-Disney's Toy Story 3 was nominated for best foreign film this year, but lost to the live-action Avatar.
