There are two winners after Scotland Loves Anime 2023, which is unusual but not unheard of. The Concierge from Production I.G. won the Jury’s Award. That’s the ‘professional’ judges casting their votes. With director Tachikawa’s controversial mix of animation techniques, Blue Giant won the Audience Award.
Update: 15th Nov – Caught in a flurry of excitement at the news, the headline initially said Scotland Loves Anime 2024 winners. Blue Giant and The Concierge are 2023 winners.
The Concierge tells the story of a shop assistant/concierge working in a luxury department store that caters to extinct animals. It is a story of compassion, friendship and thoughtfulness.
Blue Giant, an ongoing manga, highlights when a talented jazz musician comes to the big city with only music on his mind. There’s the stress and tension of forming a band, trying to get established on the scene while balancing the daily needs of food and warmth with ambition.
Both animes faced competition from other candidates, although not every feature-length shown in the festival was in contention.
However, the audience feedback to the Scotland Loves Anime team was that the voting process had problems. Specifically, votes had to be in swiftly after each film before the poll closed. Many expected to watch all the candidate anime features and vote for their favourite. Those who waited were denied a vote.
An audience member told Geek Native,
It’s a shame because I really wanted to vote for The Concierge and we’d been told all weekend how close it was. My vote might have made a difference.
Geel Native has reached out to the organisers for a comment.
However, Scotland Loves Anime publically acknowledged there had been confusion during the event itself, and by Sunday, they explained how the process was intended to work ahead of each film.
The anime fans were told that feedback had been heard and that adjustments would be made for 2024.
Happily, Scotland Loves Anime also confirmed there would be a Scotland Loves Anime 2024.
The 2023 event was the largest post-pandemic event and the second to be held in Ednburgh’s Cameo cinema, having to move at short notice last year when the Filmhouse dramatically and suddenly closed down. An “Open the Doors!” crowdfunding campaign to save the Filmhouse is underway, features many TV and movie stars and has raised more than £180,000 in donations from the public against a target of £250,00.
In Glasgow, the event was held at the Glasgow Film Theatre. Traditionally, the festival airs in Glasgow for the first week and Edinburgh for the second, with similar but sometimes different animes.
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