Sign in
The awards record

A Manga Legend Draws His Own Comeback

The 23rd Tokyo Anime Award Festival honored a manga creator's first-ever turn as a film director, alongside a viral idol-industry drama that had already conquered the charts.

Tokyo, Japan · March 2024 · Concluded

7
Award Results
The First Slam Dunk & [Oshi No Ko]
Grand Prix

The Manga Creator Who Decided to Direct His Own Movie

Takehiko Inoue created the original Slam Dunk manga, one of the best-selling manga of all time. For its big-screen revival, he didn't just approve someone else's adaptation. He wrote and directed it himself, his feature directorial debut. The result, The First Slam Dunk, took Animation of the Year, Film, and Inoue personally picked up both Best Director and Best Screenplay for it, an unusual double for a manga creator turned first-time filmmaker.

[Oshi No Ko] took Animation of the Year, Television, a dark, meta-textual look at the idol and entertainment industry disguised as a reincarnation story. It became one of the more unusual breakout hits of the year, helped enormously by a viral opening theme.

That theme, "Idol" by YOASOBI, went on to become a genuine chart phenomenon on its own, well outside the anime it came from, and the duo took Best Music for it here.

Sidebar

From the Page to the Director's Chair

Takehiko Inoue had never directed a film before The First Slam Dunk. He wrote and directed it himself, and walked away with Best Director and Best Screenplay for his first attempt.

Sidebar

A Song That Became Its Own Story

YOASOBI's "Idol," written for [Oshi No Ko], became a massive hit independent of the anime itself, charting worldwide and picking up Best Music here.

The haul chart

Who left heaviest

filled = win · hollow = loss
#1 Inoue, Takehiko
2 wins 2 noms
#2 The First Slam Dunk
2 wins 2 noms
#3 [Oshi No Ko]
2 wins 2 noms
#4 YOASOBI
1 win 1 nom

7 categories were awarded at the 23rd edition, the smallest slate of any edition covered on this site so far.

Edition 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002
Showing 6 of 6 categories

Animation of the Year

Uncategorised
Shared award · 2 winners
[Oshi No Ko] Winner
[Oshi No Ko]
Television Category
2× wins · 2 noms tonight
The First Slam Dunk Winner
The First Slam Dunk
Film Category
2× wins · 2 noms tonight

Notable Entry – Television

Uncategorised
[Oshi No Ko] Winner
[Oshi No Ko]
Television Category
2× wins · 2 noms tonight

Notable Entry – Domestic Feature Film

Uncategorised
The First Slam Dunk Winner
The First Slam Dunk
2× wins · 2 noms tonight

Best Director

Uncategorised
Inoue, Takehiko Winner
Inoue, Takehiko
2× wins · 2 noms tonight

Best Screenplay / Original Story

Uncategorised
Inoue, Takehiko Winner
Inoue, Takehiko
2× wins · 2 noms tonight

Best Music

Uncategorised
YOASOBI Winner
YOASOBI
1× win · 1 nom tonight

Watch the Comeback Story Behind the Comeback Story

Takehiko Inoue's directorial debut turned a beloved manga into an Animation of the Year winner.

Watch The First Slam Dunk