Japanese animation is a powerhouse industry that needs no introduction, especially within fandom spaces. But despite its massive cultural impact and undeniable artistic peaks, the animated films and shorts coming out of Japan’s studios still struggle to get the recognition they deserve in the Western awards and festival circuits—and the Oscars are a prime example of it. The Academy Award for Best Animated Feature has been around since 2001, for a grand total of 89 titles including winners and nominees. Only seven of those 89 movies were produced in Japan and only one of those seven actually won Best Animated Feature (but what a win that was, and what a movie).
It’s even worse for the Best Animated Short Film category, which has been around since the 1930s and has so far included only three Japanese productions—and again, only one winner. Hopefully, this trend will change soon—slowly but surely, both categories have begun to include more of the world beyond English-speaking countries into their rosters of nominees. It’s a sluggish process that often stops in its tracks at Europe (the nominees for this year’s Best Animated Feature include four American productions and a Danish one), sure, but one can always think positive. In the meantime, here’s a complete list of all the anime movies that have ever figuratively “walked the red carpet” at the Oscars—including the two that brought that little golden statue home.