SAO, Bocchi, Gundam Take the Spotlight: 2023 Anime Awards Show Winners

Sword Art Online receives the highest honors at the 2023 Newtype Anime Awards for the movie category, alongside Bocchi the Rock! and Mobile Suit Gundam, earning praise from viewers throughout the past year.

Established by Kadokawa in 1985, Newtype Magazine has become a prestigious platform for anime to be recognized. In the 2011 inaugural awards ceremony, Bocchi the Rock! secured victory in the TV category while Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night emerged victorious in the movie category. Both titles also achieved success in additional categories. Kirito, the protagonist of Sword Art Online, won the Character Award for Males, while Asuna ranked fourth in the Female category. Furthermore, the anime excelled in the Sound, Prop/Mecha Design, and Director categories.

Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night is another adaptation of one of author Reki Kawahara's Sword Art Online: Progressive novels. It continues the story from the 2021 movie Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night. Both of these adaptations delve into the events that took place on the first floor of Aincrad, which were largely overlooked in the popular anime series, leaving many fans unaware of what happened.

Bocchi the Rock! achieved success in various categories, ranking first in the anime category. It also secured second place for Character Design and Prop/Mecha, and third place for Sound. Moreover, director Keiichiro Sato received the Director's award. Bocchi the Rock! was recognized for its exceptional theme songs, with both the opening and ending themes placing in the top 10. Additionally, Hitori Goto and Nijika Ijichi ranked third and sixth, respectively, in the Female character awards. However, Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury presented a challenge to this, as it won the Character Design award and claimed the first and second positions in the Best Female Character award with Suletta and Miorine. Notably, Hitori from Bocchi the Rock! and Asuna from Sword Art Online placed third and fourth. Interestingly, the Mascot Character award was dominated by a 1-2 sweep, surprisingly leaving Anya from Spy x Family and Pochita from Chainsaw Man out of the top spots.

At the Newtype Anime Awards on October 28, 2023, Production I.G, the studio behind Kaiju No.8, received the Best Studio award. However, the opening theme of Oshi no Ko, titled "IDOL" by YOASOBI, was not able to secure the top spot and lost to "Seishun Complex" by Bocchi the Rock. The complete list of winners can be found on Gigazine.

Source: Newtype via Gigazine

Editor's P/S

As a fan of anime, I am thrilled to see Sword Art Online, Bocchi the Rock, and Mobile Suit Gundam take the spotlight at the prestigious 2023 Newtype Anime Awards. These three titles represent the best of what anime has to offer, and I am delighted that they have been recognized for their outstanding achievements.

Sword Art Online is a beloved franchise that has captured the hearts of fans around the world. The movie, Sword Art Online Progressive: Scherzo of Deep Night, continues the story from the 2021 movie Sword Art Online Progressive: Aria of a Starless Night. Both of these adaptations delve into the events that took place on the first floor of Aincrad, which were largely overlooked in the popular anime series. This gives fans a chance to see more of the story and learn more about the characters.

Bocchi the Rock! is a relatively new anime series that has quickly become a fan favorite. The show follows the story of Hitori "Bocchi" Goto, a lonely high school girl who dreams of starting a rock band. The series is full of heart and humor, and it's easy to see why it has resonated with so many viewers.