Top 10 bestselling paperback books in Japan for the year 2017 (Oricon)

This ranking lists the top 10 bestselling paperback books in Japan for the year 2017 as tabulated from 5 December 2016 to 27 November 2017. Sales figures for this period are reflected in brackets while those names in bold indicate that the book had been made into a drama or movie:

1) Kimi no suizou wo tabetai - Sumino Yoru (1,066,632)

2) Reverse - Minato Kanae (574,514)

3) Mame no ue de neru - Minato Kanae (471,526)

4) Hibana - Matayoshi Naoki (449,487)

5) Yukikemuri Chase - Higashino Keigo (351,494)

6) Namiya Zakkaten no Kiseki - Higashino Keigo (344,506)

7) Akira to Akira - Ikeido Jun (324,133)

8) Biblia Koshoudou no Jiken Techou 7 ~ Shioriko-san to Hatenai Butai  - Mikami En (316,861)

9) Shousetsu Kimi no na wa - Shinkai Makoto (316,193)

10) Sword Art Online 19 Moon Cradle - Kawahara Reki & abec (315,396)

Source: Oricon

Winners of the 26th Japan Movie Critics Award

Best Movie: Yu wo wakasu hodo atsui ai

Best Director: Nakano Ryota (Yu wo wakasu hodo atsui ai)

Best Leading Actor: Kobayashi Kaoru (Zoku Shinya Shokudou)

Best Leading Actress: Miyazawa Rie (Yu wo wakasu hodo atsui ai)

Best Supporting Actor: Higashide Masahiro (Satoshi no Seishun)

Best Supporting Actress: Sugisaki Hana (Yu wo wakasu hodo atsui ai)

Best Newcomer (Komori Kazuko Award): Takahata Mitsuki (Shokubutsu Zukan Unmei no Koi, Hiroimashita)

Best Newcomer (Minami Toshiko Award): Iwata Takanori (Shokubutsu Zukan Unmei no Koi, Hiroimashita)

Best New Director: Shoji Hiroshi (Ken to Kazu)

Golden Glory Award (Mizuno Haruo Award): Komatsu Masao & Naraoka Tomoko

Diamond Award (Yodogawa Nagaharu Award): Kiki Kirin

Best Editing: Hogaki Junnosuke (Chihayafuru)

Best Script: Nishikawa Miwa (Nagai Iiwake)

Best Movie Music: Kako Takashi (Everest Kamigami no Itadaki)

Best Cinematography: Kita Nobuyasu (Everest Kamigami no Itadaki)

Best Documentary: Hibi Yuichi (Ken-san)

Special Award: Sato Tadao - movie critic

Best Anime Movie: Koe no Katachi

Best Anime Film Director: Shinkai Makoto (Kimi no na wa)

Best Voice Actor: Nozawa Masako (Kaze no you ni)

Diamond Award for Anime Category: Matsumoto Reiji

Source: Japan Movie Critics Award

Winners at the prize-giving ceremony of the 40th Nippon Academy Awards

The prize-giving ceremony of the 40th Nippon Academy Awards was held at Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa Kokusaikan Pamiiru on 3 March with "Shin Godzilla" being the biggest winner with 7 titles. Here is the list of winners:

Best Movie: Shin Godzilla

Best Director: Anno Hideaki & Higuchi Shinji (Shin Godzilla)

Best Leading Actor: Sato Koichi (64 Rokuyon Zenpen)

Best Leading Actress: Miyazawa Rie (Yu wo wakasu hodo no atsui ai)

Best Supporting Actor: Tsumabuki Satoshi (Ikari)

Best Supporting Actress: Sugisaki Hana (Yu wo wakasu hodo no atsui ai)

Best Script: Shinkai Makoto (Kimi no na wa)

Best Photography: Yamada Kosuke (Shin Godzilla)

Best Lighting: Kawabe Takayuki (Shin Godzilla)

Best Art: Hayashida Yuji & Sakushima Eri (Shin Godzilla)

Best Sound: Nakamura Jun & Yamada Haru (Shin Godzilla)

Best Editing: Anno Hideaki & Sato Atsuki (Shin Godzilla)

Best Music: RADWIMPS (Kimi no na wa)

Best Foreign Movie: Sully

Best Animation Film: Kono sekai no katasumi ni

Newcomer Awards: Sugisaki Hana, Takahata Mitsuki, Hashimoto Kanna, Iwata Takanori, Sakaguchi Kentaro, Sakumoto Takara, Chiba Yuudai & Mackenyu

Most Talked About Movie Award: Kimi no wa na

Most Talked About Actor Award: Iwata Takanori

Sources: Eiga.com / Oricon

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 11th & 12th March 2017

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Moana (359)

2) Eiga Doraemon Nobita no Nankyoku Kachi Kochi Daibouken (362)

3) La La Land (259)

4) Chia Dan Joshikousei ga chiadansu de zenbei seihashichatta honto no hanashi (300)

5) Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale (151)

6) Assassin's Creed (327)

7) Gekijouban Ultraman Orb Kizuna no Chikara, Okarishimasu (61)

8) Aibou Gekijouban IV Shuto Crisis Hitojichi wa 50-man nin! Tokumeigakari Saigo no Ketsudan (347)

9) Isshukan Friends (305)

10) Kimi no na wa (296)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 25th & 26th February 2017

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) La La Land (259)

2) Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale (151)

3) Aibou Gekijouban IV Shuto Crisis Hitojichi wa 50-man nin! Tokumeigakari Saigo no Ketsudan (347)

4) xXx: Return of Xander Cage (306)

5) Isshukan Friends (305)

6) Survival Family (267)

7) Kimi no na wa (296)

8) Collateral Beauty (200)

9) Kiseki Ano Hi no Sobito (171)

10) Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (350)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 18th & 19th February 2017

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale (151)

2) Aibou Gekijouban IV Shuto Crisis Hitojichi wa 50-man nin! Tokumeigakari Saigo no Ketsudan (347)

3) Isshukan Friends (305)

4) Survival Family (267)

5) Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (350)

6) Kiseki Ano Hi no Sobito (171)

7) Doctor Strange (350)

8) Kimi no na wa (296)

9) Kono sekai no katasumi ni (68)

10) Allied (150)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 11th & 12th February 2017

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Aibou Gekijouban IV Shuto Crisis Hitojichi wa 50-man nin! Tokumeigakari Saigo no Ketsudan (346)

2) Survival Family (267)

3) Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children (350)

4) Kiseki Ano Hi no Sobito (171)

5) Doctor Strange (350)

6) Kimi no na wa (296)

7) Allied (150)

8) Kono sekai no katasumi (68)

9) Kimi to 100-kaime no koi (190)

10) Koisaika Miyamoto (315)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 28th & 29th January 2017

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Doctor Strange (350)

2) Kiseki Ano hi no sobito (156)

3) Kimi no na wa (296)

4) Koisaika Miyamoto (314)

5) Hamon Futari no Yakubyougami (302)

6) Shinjuku Swan II (334)

7) Honnouji Hotel (282)

8) Chinmoku Silence (342)

9) Kono sekai no katasumi ni (68)

10) The Magnificent Seven (291)

Source: Eiga.com

Winners of the 59th Blue Ribbon Awards (2016)

Best Movie: Shin Godzilla

Best Director: Katabuchi Sunao (Kono sekai no katasumi ni)

Best Leading Actor: Matsuyama Kenichi (Chinyuuki /  Satoshi no Seishun)

Best Leading Actress: Ootake Shinobu (Gosaigyou no Onna)

Best Supporting Actor: Lily Frankie (Onna ga nemuru toki / Umi yori mo mada fukaku / Nijuu Seikatsu / Himitsu THE TOP SECRET / SCOOP! / Otousan to Itou-san / Satoshi no Seishun)

Best Supporting Actress: Sugisaki Hana (Yu wo wakasu hodo no atsui ai)

Best Newcomer: Okamura Izumi (Gymnopedies ni midareru)

Special Award: Kimi no na wa

Best Foreign Movie: Rogue One Star Wars Story

Top 10 Japanese movies (in alphabetical order)
Ikari
Kimi no na wa
Gosaigyou no Onna
Satoshi no Seishun
Shin Godzilla
SCOOP!
Nagai Iiwake
Yu wo wakasu hodo no atsui ai
Rip van Winkle no Hanayome
64 - Rokuyon -

Top 10 Foreign movies (there are 11 listed here as two movies ranked at No.10 had the same score)
The Martian
Carol
Suicide Squad
Zootopia
Spotlight
Trumbo
Sully
Bridge of Spies
The Danish Girl
The Revenant
Rogue One Star Wars Story

Source: Cinema Today

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 21st & 22nd January 2017

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Kimi no na wa (296)

2) Honnouji Hotel (282)

3) Shinjuku Swan II (333)

4) Chinmoku Silence (342)

5) The Accountant (272)

6) Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (353)

7) Kono sekai no katasumi ni (68)

8) Eiga Youkai Watch Soratobu Kujira to Double Sekai no Daibouken Danyan (360)

9) Gekijouban Doubutsu Sentai Juuouja VS Ninninja Mirai kara no message from Super Sentai (322)

10)  Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (368)

Source: Eiga.com

Winners of the 71st Mainichi Eiga Concurs (2016)

Japanese Movie Grand Award: Shin Godzilla

Japanese Movie Excellence Award: Kono sekai no katasumi ni

Foreign Movie Best One Award: Sully

Best Director: Nishikawa Miwa (Nagai Iiwake)

Best Scriptwriter: Mukai Kousuke (Satoshi no Seishun)

Best Leading Actor: Motoki Masahiro (Nagai Iiwake)

Best Leading Actress: Tsutsui Mariko (Fuchi ni tatsu)

Best Supporting Actor: Kagawa Teruyuki (Creepy Itsuwari no Rinjin)

Best Supporting Actress: Ichikawa Mikako (Shin Godzilla)

Sponichi Grand Prix Newcomer Award: Maiguma Katsuya (Ken to Kazu) / Nakajo Ayami (Setoutsumi)

Tanaka Kinuyo Award: Matsubara Chieko

Best Photography: Saito Kouichi (64 Rokuyon Zenpen / 64 Rokuyon Kohen)

Best Art: Hayashida Yuji & Sakushima Eri (Shin Godzilla)

Best Music: Kotoringo (Kono sekai no katasumi ni)

Best Sound: Shiratori Mitsugu (Satoshi no Seishun)

Documentary Movie Award: Sakura no ki no shita

Animation Movie Award: Kimi no na wa

Oofuji Noburo Award: Kono sekai no katasumi ni

TSUTAYAxFilmarks Movie Fan Award - Japanese Movie: Kimi no na wa

TSUTAYAxFilmarks Movie Fan Award - Foreign Movie: Zootopia

Special Award: Shimamura Tatsuo (CEO of Shirogumi)

Source: Natalie

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 14th & 15th January 2017

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas showing the movie:

1) Honnouji Hotel (282)

2) Kimi no na wa (296)

3) Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (353)

4) Gekijouban Doubutsu Sentai Juuouja VS Ninninja Mirai kara no message from Super Sentai (322)

5) Eiga Youkai Watch Soratobu Kujira to Double Sekai no Daibouken Danyan (360)

6) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (368)

7) Fantastic Beasts and where to find them (350)

8) Kono sekai no katasumi ni (68)

9) Boku wa ashita kinou no kimi to deeto suru (305)

10) Kaizoku to yobareta otoko (360)

Source: Eiga.com

Excellence award winners for the 40th Nippon Academy Awards (2016)

Unlike other movie awards which tend to refer to those in the running as nominees, the Nippon Academy Awards gives them excellence awards instead and chooses the best among them which will be announced during the prize giving ceremony. Effectively, this means that every nominee actually gets to be presented with an excellence award although there is only one in each category to be crowned the best. In this list announced for the 40th Nippon Academy Awards, Ikari is the biggest "winner" with 12 awards in 11 categories (newcomer category not counted).

The prize giving ceremony will be held on 3 March and hosted by Nishida Toshiyuki who is the vice chairman of the organising committee and has done this for four years in a row and Ando Sakura who was the best leading actress last year.

Films must meet the following criteria in order to be considered for entry:
- Shown in commercial cinemas within the Tokyo area between 16 December 2015 and 15 December 2016 for a fee
- Screenings must be held more than thrice a day and shown for more than 2 weeks
- Films must be longer than 40 minutes

Here is the list of excellence award winners for each category:

Best Movie
Ikari
Kazoku wa tsurai yo
Shin Godzilla
Yu wo wakasu hodo no atsui ai
64 Rokuyon Zenpen

Best Animation
Kimi no na wa
Koe no katachi
Kono sekai no katasumi ni
Rudolf to Ippai Attena
ONE PIECE FILM GOLD

Best Director
Anno Hideaki / Higuchi Shinji (Shin Godzilla)
Shinkai Makoto (Kimi no na wa)
Zeze Takahisa (64 Rokuyon Zenpen)
Nakano Ryota (Yu wo wakasu hodo no atsui ai)
Lee Sang-il (Ikari)

Best Leading Actor
Ayano Go (Nihon de Ichiban Warui Yatsura)
Okada Junichi (Kaizoku to yobareta otoko)
Sato Koichi (64 Rokuyon Zenpen)
Hasegawa Hiroki (Shin Godzilla)
Matsuyama Kenichi (Satoshi no Seishun)

Best Leading Actress
Ootake Shinobu (Gosaigyou no Onna)
Kuroki Haru (Rip van Winkle no Hanayome)
Hirose Suzu (Chihayafuru - Kami no ku -)
Miyazaki Aoi (Ikari)
Miyazawa Rie (Yu wo wakasu hodo no atsui ai)

Best Supporting Actor
Takehara Pistol (Nagai Iiwake)
Tsumabuki Satoshi (Ikari)
Higashide Masahiro (Satoshi no Seishun)
Moriyama Mirai (Ikari)
Lily Frankie (SCOOP!)

Best Supporting Actress
Ishihara Satomi (Shin Godzilla)
Ichikawa Mikako (Shin Godzilla)
Sugisaki Hana (Yu wo wakasu hodo no atsui ai)
Hirose Suzu (Ikari)
Miyazaki Aoi (Birthday Card)

Newcomer Awards
Sugisaki Hana (Yu wo wakasu hodo no atsui ai)
Takahata Mitsuki (Shokubutsu Zukan Unmei no Koi, hiroimashita)
Hashimoto Kanna (Sailorfuku to kikanjuu - Sotsugyou -)
Iwata Takanori (Shokubutsu Zukan Unmei no Koi, hiroimashita)
Sakaguchi Kentaro (64 Rokuyon Zenpen / 64 Rokuyon Gohen)
Sakumoto Takara (Ikari)
Chiba Yuudai (Dono, Risoku de gozaru!)
Mackenyuu (Chihayafuru - Kami no Ku - / Chihayafuku - Shimo no Ku -)

Source: Oricon

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 31st December 2016 & 1st January 2017

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas which are showing this movie:

1) Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (353)

2) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (368)

3) Kimi no na wa (296)

4) Fantastic Beasts and where to find them (350)

5) Eiga Youkai Watch Soratobu Kujira to Double Sekai no Daibouken Danyan (350)

6) Kaizoku to yobareta otoko (360)

7) Mogura no Uta Hong Kong Kyousoukyoku (309)

8) Boku wa ashita kinou no kimi to deeto suru (305)

9) Kono sekai no katasumi ni (68)

10) Kamen Rider Heisei Generations Dr. Bakkuman tai Eguzeido & Ghost with Legend Rider (314)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 24th & 25th December 2016

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas which are showing this movie:

1) Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (353)

2) Eiga Youkai Watch Soratobu Kujira to Double Sekai no Daibouken Danyan (360)

3) Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (368)

4) Fantastic Beasts and where to find them (350)

5) Mogura no Uta Hong Kong Kyousoukyoku (309)

6) Boku wa ashita kinou no kimi to deeto suru (305)

7) Kimi no na wa (296)

8) Kaizoku to yobareta otoko (360)

9) Kamen Rider Heisei Generations Dr. Bakkuman tai Eguzeido & Ghost with Legend Rider (314)

10) Kono sekai no katasumi ni (68)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 box office hits in Japan for 2016 (Oricon)

Results were calculated up to 18 December 2016 for No.1 and No.3 which are still showing in cinemas and numbers in brackets indicate the total box office takings:

1) Kimi no na wa (JPY 20.9bn)

2) Star Wars: The Force Awakens (JPY 11.63bn)

3) Shin Godzilla (JPY 8.1bn)

4) Zootopia (JPY 7.68bn)

5) Finding Dory (JPY 6.83bn)

6) Meitantei Conan Junkoku no Nightmare (JPY 6.33bn)

7) Eiga Yokai Watch Enma Daiou to Itsutsu no Monogatari Danyan! (JPY 5.53bn)

8) ONE PIECE FILM GOLD (JPY 5.2bn)

9) Nobunaga Concerto (JPY 4.61bn)

10) The Secret Life of Pets (JPY 4.25bn)

Source: Oricon

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 17th & 18th December 2016

The numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas which are showing the movie:

1) Eiga Youkai Watch Soratobu Kujira to Double Sekai no Daibouken Danyan (359)

2) Rogue One Star Wars Story (368)

3) Fantastic Beasts and where to find them (350)

4) Boku wa ashita, kinou no kimi to deeto suru (305)

5) Kaizoku to yobareta otoko (360)

6) Kimi no na wa (296)

7) Kamen Rider Heisei Generations Dr. Bakkuman tai Eguzeido & Ghost with Legend Rider (314)

8) Monster Strike THE MOVIE Hajimari no Basho e (315)

9) Suki ni naru sono shunkan wo Kokuhaku Jikkou Iinkai (72)

10) Kono sekai no katasumi ni (68)

Source: Eiga.com

Top 10 movies box office ranking for the weekend of 10th & 11th December 2016

Numbers in brackets indicate the number of cinemas where the movie is shown at:

1) Monster Strike THE MOVIE Hajimari no Basho e (314)

2) Fantastic Beasts and where to find them (350)

3) Kamen Rider Heisei Generations Dr. Bakkuman tai Eguzeido & Ghost with Legend Rider (314)

4) Kaizoku to yobareta otoko (359)

5) Kimi no na wa (296)

6) Museum (331)

7) Kono sekai no katasumi ni (68)

8) Gekijouban Kancolle (61)

9) Shippu Rondo (286)

10) Oboreru Knife (153)

Source: Eiga.com

Winners of Yahoo! Japan Search Awards 2016

Yahoo! Japan Search Awards is an annual event which lists the people and things that experienced a surge in online searches via Yahoo! Japan as compared to the previous year. This is a barometer of the amount of attention which the person or thing has enjoyed in the past year. The measurement period is from 1 January to 1 November of the current year.

As the list of winners is very long, I will only feature the winners in the person and culture categories which are more related to J-ent in general:

Grand Award: Dean Fujioka

Actor: Dean Fujioka

Actress: Takahata Mitsuki

Idol: Keyakizaka46

Comedian: Kazu Laser

Model: Ryuchell

Musician: Fujiwara Sakura

Voice Actor: Nakamura Yuichi

Athlete: Fukuhara Ai

Writer: Murata Sayaka

Anime: Osomatsu-san

Movie: Kimi no na wa

Game: Pokemon GO

Novel: Kimi no suizou wo tabetai

Drama: Sanadamaru

Popular Phrase: PPAP

Source: Yahoo! Japan

Winners of the 29th Nikkansports Movie Award / Ishihara Yujiro Award (2016)

Here is the list of winners for the 29th Nikkansports Movie Award and Ishihara Yujiro Award. The award ceremony will be held at Hotel New Otani on 28 Decenber:

Best Movie: 64 Rokuyon

Best Director: Shinkai Makoto (Kimi no na wa)

Best Leading Actor: Sato Koichi (64 Rokuyon)

Best Leading Actress: Miyazawa Rie (Yu wo wakasu hodo no atsui ai)

Best Supporting Actor: Tsumabuki Satoshi (Ikari / Museum)

Best Supporting Actress: Miyazaki Aoi (Ikari / Sekai kara neko ga kieta nara)

Best Newcomer: Arimura Kasumi (Nanimono / Natsumi no Hotaru)

Ishihara Yujiro Award: Saraba Abunai Deka

Best Foreign Movie: Spotlight

Source: Nikkansports