This year, Funimation’s chasing Oscar gold with the help of Makoto Shinkai.
Earlier today, entertainment news source Variety reported that Funimation will give Makoto Shinkai’s Your Name. (Kimi no Na wa.) a theatrical run. Funimation is expected release the feature in theaters in 2016, prior to a wider digital rollout.
According to Variety, Funimation’s theatrical release will be a qualifying run for the 2016 Academy Awards. To be considered for the award, a movie must run in Los Angeles county for at least a week.
Your Name. is an original film from Makoto Shinkai (5 Centimeters per Second, Children Who Chase Lost Voices),who directed the feature at CoMix Wave Films. Shinkai also penned the script, while Masayoshi Tanaka (anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day, High School of the Dead) provided character designs. Masashi Ando (Spirited Away, Paprika) served as animation director on the project.
The film made its global theatrical début on July 3, at Anime Expo. Funimation announced that they licensed the movie at the convention.
As of Monday, Your Name. has grossed 16.41 billion yen ($157,180,896.92 USD) in ticket sales. It’s the first non-Ghibli theatrical film to break 10 billion yen in ticket sales. The feature is currently the fourth highest-grossing anime film in Japan, and the fifth grossing film period in the nation. The film is also the ninth highest-grossing film of all time in Japan.
The only anime films to surpass Your Name. in ticket sales are Spirited Away, Howl’s Moving Castle, and Princess Mononoke.
Source: Variety
