Makoto Shinkai
Awards & Honours
20
Awards Won
5
Honours
6
Rankings
6
Covers
3
Records
Makoto Shinkai has achieved a rare trifecta in modern anime: three consecutive films winning the Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Animated Feature. Your Name held the record as the highest-grossing anime film worldwide (outside Studio Ghibli) for years. In 2023, he received the Order of the Rising Sun, one of Japan's highest civilian honors, recognizing his cultural contributions. TIME named him to the TIME 100 Next list in 2019, and he has been ranked among the top anime directors by Anime News Network. His films have appeared on numerous critics' lists, including Rolling Stone's 50 Greatest Anime Movies and The Guardian's 100 Best Films of the 21st Century.
Awards
Honours & Distinctions
Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette
One of Japan's highest civilian honors, awarded for contributions to film and culture.
Guinness World Record – Highest-grossing anime film worldwide (non-Ghibli)
Awarded for 'Your Name' becoming the highest-grossing anime film globally at the time.
Honorary Citizen of Koumi, Nagano
Honorary citizenship from his hometown.
TIME 100 Next
Named to TIME's list of emerging leaders.
Forbes Japan – 100 Most Influential Japanese
Listed multiple times for his influence in entertainment.
Rankings & Lists
50 Greatest Anime Movies of All Time
The 100 Best Movies of the 2010s
The 100 Best Films of the 21st Century
The Greatest Films of All Time
Best Japanese Films of the 2010s
Top 10 Anime Directors of All Time
Magazine Covers
TIME (Asia Edition)
August 2017
The Man Behind the Anime Sensation 'Your Name'
Forbes Japan
December 2019
The $400 Million Director: Makoto Shinkai's Global Empire
Brutus (Japan)
September 2022
Makoto Shinkai: The New Face of Japanese Animation
Anime Insider
Winter 2017
Cover feature on 'Your Name' and Shinkai's career
Otaku USA
October 2019
Weathering with You: Shinkai's Next Masterpiece
CUT (Japan)
November 2022
Suzume: A Director's Journey to the Heart of Japan
Records & Feats
First anime director to have three consecutive films gross over $100 million worldwide
Your Name ($380M), Weathering with You ($193M), and Suzume ($323M) each crossed the $100M mark, a first for any anime director.
Highest-grossing anime film worldwide (non-Ghibli) – Your Name
Your Name grossed over $380 million worldwide, holding the record for highest-grossing anime film outside Studio Ghibli.
Three-time Japan Academy Film Prize winner for Best Animated Feature
Shinkai won the Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Animated Feature for Your Name (2017), Weathering with You (2020), and Suzume (2023).