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Guardian of the Spirit and Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society are Jury Recommended Works at the 11th Japan Media Arts Festival

December 7, 2007

Director Kenji Kamiyama and Production I.G have been honored with a double recognition at the 11th Japan Media Arts Festival (2007). The feature Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society (2006) and the TV series Guardian of the Spirit (2007), both directed by Kenji Kamiyama, have been nominated Jury Recommended Work in the Animation Division of the prestigious event supported by Japan's Agency for Cultural Affairs.

Guardian of the Spirit is a 26-episode high fantasy TV series based on Nahoko Uehashi best-seller novel, Seirei no Moribito. The series, Kamiyama's first directorial effort after the acclaimed Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C.-related works, was aired in Japan on state-owned NHK BS-2 from April to September 2007.

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society, the latest chapter from the world million-selling Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex franchise, is a full-length 105 minute theatrical-quality feature set in 2034, two years since Motoko Kusanagi left Section 9. Having being awarded Jury Recommended Work in the previous edition of the festival, Solid State Society achieved an outstanding result for two consecutive years.

Five Production I.G's works received recognitions in the past editions. In 2000, Blood: The Last Vampire (director: Hiroyuki Kitakubo) was awarded with the Animation Division Grand Prize, and in 2002, Episode 2 of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (director: Kenji Kamiyama) received the Excellence Prize in the same category. In 2004, both Innocence (director: Mamoru Oshii) and Otogi Zoshi (director: Mizuho Nishikubo) were nominated Jury Recommended Works. In the 10th edition, I.G was double awarded with Solid State Society (Jury Recommended Work, Animation Division) and the bisque doll reproducing D'Eon de Beaumont (from Kazuhiro Furuhashi's TV series Le Chevalier D'Eon), appointed Jury Recommended Work in the Entertainment Division.

Started in 1997, the Japan Media Arts Festival is a "Contest" that praises creative media art works utilizing the latest expression technology, and it is also a "Festival" that supports creative activity and broadly presents various art works. At the same time, the event is promoting the development of media arts in Japan by providing the opportunities of appreciation, such as Exhibitions and Sanctioned Events.

Japan Media Arts Festival official website:
http://plaza.bunka.go.jp/


© Nahoko UEHASHI/KAISEI-SHA/Guardian of the Spirit Committee
© 2002-2006 Shirow Masamune - Production I.G/KODANSHA

Guardian of the Spirit



S.S.S. and Chevalier doll nominated Jury Recommended Works at the 10th Japan Media Arts Festival

December 15, 2006

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society, directed by Kenji Kamiyama and released in Japan in November 2006, has been nominated Jury Recommended Work in the Animation Division of the 10th Japan Media Arts Festival. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Solid State Society, the latest chapter from the world million-selling Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex franchise, is a full-length 105 minute theatrical-quality feature set in 2034, two years since Motoko Kusanagi left Section 9.

The same event also appointed Jury Recommended Work, Entertainment Division, the bisque doll reproducing D'Eon de Beaumont, the main character in the TV series Le Chevalier D'Eon, directed by Kazuhiro Furuhashi. The 70-cm tall doll, released in January 2007 and for sale in Japan only, is produced by Gekkosha, the workshop that already collaborated with I.G in the days of Innocence. The model was created by Toshiyuki Tsuji and the dress was crafted by Rina Watabe.

Four Production I.G's works received recognitions in the past editions. In 2000, Blood: The Last Vampire (director: Hiroyuki Kitakubo) was awarded with the Animation Division Grand Prize, and in 2002, Episode 2 of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (director: Kenji Kamiyama) received the Excellence Prize in the same category. In 2004, both Innocence (director: Mamoru Oshii) and Otogi Zoshi (director: Mizuho Nishikubo) were nominated Jury Recommended Works.

Started in 1997, the Japan Media Arts Festival is a "Contest" that praises creative media art works utilizing the latest expression technology, and it is also a "Festival" that supports creative activity and broadly presents various art works. At the same time, the event is promoting the development of media arts in Japan by providing the opportunities of appreciation, such as Exhibitions and Sanctioned Events.

Japan Media Arts Festival official website:
http://plaza.bunka.go.jp/





GITS: SAC Vol. 07 Grabs DVD of the Month Award

Sunday September 18th, 2005 10:38pm
USA edition of Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Vol. 07 won this month's award for best DVD on the Anime on DVD website. To view the listing, please visit the Anime on DVD website.
http://www.animeondvd.com/interactive/bestdvd.php


DEAD LEAVES Wins Film Award at the WorldFest Houston International Film Festival

Sunday May 8th, 2005 1:50am
Dead Leaves won the Gold Special Jury Award at Houston's 38th Annual WorldFest International Film Festival on May 1, 2005. Dead Leaves competed in the category of Independent Experimental Films & Videos; Computer Generated/Mixed Media category and received the highest honor, Gold - above the Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards.

In the past, the prestigious WorldFest has been responsible for presenting filmmakers such as Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Ang Lee, Spike Lee, The Coen Brothers, Oliver Stone, and David Lynch with their very first awards. The 2005 WorldFest Film Festival screened 49 Independent feature films and 100 award-wining short films from 25 countries, selected from over 2,000 submissions. (www.worldfest.org)

The story of Dead Leaves follows main characters Pandy and Retro as they awaken naked on Earth with no recollection of their past. After embarking on a crime spree for food, clothing and transportation, the two fugatives are captured by authorities and sent to the infamous lunar penitentiary named Dead Leaves. While incarcerated, they soon discover that Dead Leaves is also a top-secret cloning facility occupied by villainous guards and deformed genetic experiments. Ultra-manic chaos and hyper-violent bedlam result as they break-out of Dead Leaves with the aid of their fellow mutant inmates. Boasting an extraordinary cast of characters in a comically abusive and chaotic adventure, Dead Leaves is an unusually fresh anime action film that intentionally rattles the senses.


Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Vol. 1 DVD Wins Canadian Enterntainment Network Award

Sunday May 8th, 2005 1:54am

Manga Entertainment and Bandai Entertainment's immensely popular animated TV show Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex won the Best Anime DVD in Canada's National DVD Award Show, CEN - the only awards show of its kind to celebrate the best in the Canadian Home Entertainment Industry.

Stand Alone Complex Volume One conquered the competition, beating out Sony Pictures' Tokyo Godfathers and anime competitor ADV films' Evangelion: Platinum One and Lady Death: The Motion Picture. Stand Alone Complex Volume Two was also nominated in the Best Anime DVD competition. This award constituted the only victory at the event for Sony Wonder/Sony Music Video - the company responsible for selling and distributing the series in Canada.

CENA is dedicated to acknowledging the success of DVD sales and rentals, which in 2004 accounted for over $25 billion in consumer spending. CENA honors many major film industry studios with 34 different DVD categories. This Second Annual CEN Award featured actress Minnie Driver making her first Canadian singing debut promoting her new CD "Everything I've Got in My Pocket" (Rounder/Universal).

The all-new Stand Alone Complex futuristic anime series continues the story of the acclaimed anime feature film Ghost in the Shell which was based on the popular manga by Masamune Shirow. Female cyborg Major Motoko Kusanagi and her fellow police officers of Section 9 hunt down a host of criminals in both the real and online worlds. In the first four episodes Kusanagi and Section 9 must resolve a hostage crisis, hunt down a runaway state-of-the-art killing machine, solve a mystery behind recent android suicides and investigate a high level conspiracy involving a mysterious computer hacker. Set in the not too distant future where technology plays a key role in everyday life, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex utilizes the latest in full CG animation presenting illustrious characters and meticulous design along with dramatic animated action.


Online Film Critics Society Nominates Innocence

Tuesday January 11th, 2005 1:18am
The Online Film Critics Society nominated Ghost in the Shell2: Innocence for best animated feature film. Winners will be announce on January 10th.

Here is the full list of nominations:

Online Film Critics Society Complete List of Nominees

    BEST PICTURE

  • Before Sunset
  • Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
  • Garden State
  • The Incredibles
  • Sideways

    BEST DIRECTOR

  • Clint Eastwood, Million Dollar Baby
  • Michel Gondry, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
  • Alexander Payne, Sideways
  • Martin Scorsese, The Aviator
  • Zhang Yimou, Hero

    BEST ACTOR

  • Jim Carrey, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
  • Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda
  • Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator
  • Jamie Foxx, Ray
  • Paul Giamatti, Sideways

    BEST ACTRESS

  • Julie Delpy, Before Sunset
  • Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake
  • Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby
  • Uma Thurman, Kill Bill Volume 2
  • Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

  • David Carradine, Kill Bill Volume 2
  • Thomas Haden Church, Sideways
  • Jamie Foxx, Collateral
  • Clive Owen, Closer
  • Peter Sarsgaard, Kinsey

    BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

  • Cate Blanchett, The Aviator
  • Laura Linney, Kinsey
  • Virginia Madsen, Sideways
  • Natalie Portman, Closer
  • Sharon Warren, Ray

    BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

  • Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Screenplay by Charlie Kaufman, Story By Charlie Kaufman and Michel Gondry and Pierre Bismuth
  • Garden State, Screenplay by Zach Braff
  • The Incredibles, Screenplay by Brad Bird
  • Kill Bill Volume 2, Screenplay by Quentin Tarantino
  • Shaun of the Dead, Screenplay by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright

    BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

  • Before Sunset, Screenplay by Richard Linklater and Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke, based on characters and a story created by Richard Linklater and Kim Krizan
  • Closer, Screenplay by Patrick Mauber, based on his play
  • Million Dollar Baby, Screenplay by Paul Haggis, based on the stories by F.X. Toole
  • The Motorcycle Diaries, Jose Rivera, based on the books Notas de Viaje by Ernesto Guevara and Con el Che por America Latina by Alberto Granado
  • Sideways, Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, based on the novel by Rex Pickett

    BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

  • The Aviator, Robert Richardson
  • Collateral, Dion Beebe and Paul Cameron
  • Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Ellen Kuras
  • Hero, Christopher Doyle
  • House of Flying Daggers, Xiaoding Zhao

    BEST EDITING

  • The Aviator, Thelma Schoonmaker
  • Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Valdis Oskarsdottir
  • Hero, Angie Lam and Vincent Lee and Ru Zhai
  • House of Flying Daggers, Long Cheng
  • Kill Bill Volume 2, Sally Menke

    BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

  • The Aviator, Howard Shore
  • Birth, Alexandre Desplat
  • Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Jon Brion
  • Hero, Tan Dun
  • The Incredibles, Michael Giacchino

    BEST DOCUMENTARY

  • Control Room, Jehane Noujaim
  • Fahrenheit 9/11, Michael Moore
  • Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky
  • Super Size Me, Morgan Spurlock
  • Touching the Void, Kevin Macdonald

    BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE (NON-ENGLISH) FILM

  • Hero, China
  • House of Flying Daggers, China
  • Maria Full of Grace, United States / Colombia
  • The Motorcycle Diaries, United States / Germany / United Kingdom / Argentina / Chile / Peru
  • A Very Long Engagement, France

    BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

  • Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence
  • The Incredibles
  • The Polar Express
  • Shrek 2
  • Team America: World Police

    BEST BREAKTHROUGH FILMMAKER

  • Zach Braff, Garden State
  • Kerry Conran, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow
  • Jared Hess, Napoleon Dynamite
  • Joshua Marston, Maria Full of Grace
  • Edgar Wright, Shaun of the Dead

    BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE

  • Zach Braff, Garden State
  • Bryce Dallas Howard, The Village
  • Jon Heder, Napoleon Dynamite
  • Catalina Sandrino Morengo, Maria Full of Grace
  • Emmy Rossum, The Phantom of the Opera

Innocence wins 25th Japan SF Award

Tuesday December 14th, 2004 1:09am
Innocence has won the 25th Japan SF Award hosted by the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Award of Japan. The award Ceremony will be held at the Tokyo Kaikan on March 4, 2005.

For more information visit:

http://www.sfwj.or.jp/


Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence wins award at Sitges

Tuesday December 14th, 2004 1:23am
At the Sitges 2004 International Festival of Cinema in Catalunya, Spain, Mamoru Oshii received the "Orient Express" ("Casa Asia") Award for his work on the film, Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence. The Jury composed of Anais Emery, Alexis Lorenzo and Juan Zapater.

For more information vist the website at:

http://www.cinemasitges.com/eng/index.html


Innocence Receives 4 Annie Award Nominations

Monday December 6th, 2004 1:27pm
Today, nominations were announced for this year's Annie Awards. Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence received 4 nominations. Here are the results:

2004 ANNIE AWARD NOMINATIONS BY CATEGORY

Best Animated Feature

Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence - Go Fish Pictures
The Incredibles - Pixar Animation Studios
Shrek 2 - DreamWorks Animation
The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie - Peanut Worm Productions

Animated Effects

Scott Cegielski - "Shark Tale"
Hisashi Ezura - "Ghost In The Shell 2"
Matt Hausman - "The Polar Express"
Martin Nguyen - "The Incredibles"
Jonathon Gibbs - "Shrek 2"


Directing in an Animated Feature Production

Andrew Adamson, Conrad Vernon & Kelly Ashbury - "Shrek 2"
Brad Bird - "The Incredibles"
Will Finn & John Sanford - "Home on the Range"
Stephen Hillenburg - "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie"
Mamoru Oshi - "Ghost in the Shell 2"


Music in an Animated Feature Production

Michael Giacchino - "The Incredibles"
Harry Gregson-Williams - "Shrek 2"
Don Harper, Martin Erskine & Seth J. Friedman - "The Lion King 1 1/2"
Kenji Kawai - "Ghost in the Shell 2"
Gregor Narholz - "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie"
For the complete list of nominees click here.
http://www.annieawards.com/foryourconsideration.htm


Eleven Films to Compete for Animated Feature Oscar

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence among 11 films competing for nomination.
Thursday November 4th, 2004 8:27pm

Beverly Hills, CA - Eleven films are eligible to compete for the Best Animated Feature Film Oscar in the 2004 Academy Awards® competition.

A formal vote by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is required to activate the category for the 77th Academy Awards, but the 11 films were accepted as eligible to compete by the executive committee of the Short Films and Feature Animation branch of the Academy, which will recommend to the board of governors on December 14 that the Award be given for this year.

The eligible films are:

"Clifford's Really Big Movie"
"Disney's Teacher's Pet"
"Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence"
"Home on the Range"
"The Incredibles"
"The Legend of Buddha"
"The Polar Express"
"Shrek 2"
"Shark Tale"
"Sky Blue"
"The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie"

Under the rules for this category, a maximum of three films can be nominated in a year in which the field of eligible entries numbers at least eight but fewer than sixteen.

Films submitted in the Best Animated Feature category also may qualify for Academy Awards in other areas, including Best Picture, provided they meet the rules criteria governing those categories.

The eligibility of all the films is subject to receipt of the Official Screen Credits form, and for four of the films-"The Incredibles," "The Polar Express," "Sky Blue" and "The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie"- eligibility is subject to their opening in Los Angeles prior to December 31. All four films are scheduled to open within the eligibility period.

The 77th Academy Award® nominations will be announced at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater on Tuesday, January 25, 2005.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2004 will be presented on Sunday, February 27, 2005, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland®. The Oscars® will be televised live by the ABC Television Network at 5 p.m. PST, beginning with a half-hour arrival segment.


Production I.G Shines at Kobe Animation Festival

Sunday October 31st, 2004 5:27pm
At this year's 9th Kobe Animation Festival in Kobe, Japan, Kenji Kamiyama, the talented director from Production I.G, won the "Individual Award," the festival's top accolade.
In addition, Shigeru Watanabe, the producer of such projects as Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Akira and The Wings of Honneamise received the "Special Award."
Innocence also did well, receiving the "Best Work: Feature Category Award."



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