Historic second Oscars win for Miyazaki sparks celebration in Japan as Asian talent increasingly recognized kraken

Fans and artists across Japan have been toasting a night of international success for the country’s movie industry, after anime maestro Hayao Miyazaki picked up a historic second Oscar and the famed Godzilla franchise took home its first award.

Asian productions or nominees with a predominantly Asian cast have been making headway at the Academy Awards in recent years. South Korean thriller “Parasite” made history in 2020 as the first non-English language movie to win best picture, alongside three further awards.

Then came “Everything Everywhere All at Once,” an absurdist action comedy built around a Chinese immigrant family in America and the cultural differences they experience, which dominated last year. It claimed seven awards, including best supporting role for Vietnam-born Ke Huy Quan and best actress for Malaysia’s Michelle Yeoh, who both presented awards on Sunday.