It is time once again for the annual Sakugabooru Animation Awards, affectionately known as the Sakugabowl! Top animators, storyboarders, directors, and producers—including Yuichiro Iida, Takuya Niinuma, Franziska van Wulfen, ちな, and many others—have come together to reflect on the works that pushed the medium forward in 2025.
Across numerous detailed essays, the contributors celebrate technical triumphs, bold directorial visions, and the stubborn human labor that continues to sustain hand-drawn animation. Standout titles dominating the discussions include CITY: The Animation, Apocalypse Hotel, Takopi's Original Sin, The Colors Within, and Yaiba: Samurai Legend.
From breathtaking solo key animation episodes to masterclasses in art direction and sound design, the 2025 awards serve as both a loving record of artistic passion and a testament to the resilience of the anime industry.
