The 2013 (17th) Japan Media Arts Festival Award-Winning Works Exhibition will be held in Tokyo's Roppongi district from February 5th to 16th. A preview was held at the main venue, the National Art Center, Tokyo, on the 4th. The exhibition showcased award-winning works, selected from 4,347 entries from Japan and overseas in the four categories of Art, Entertainment, Animation, and Manga, as well as works recommended by the jury and Lifetime Achievement Award recipients. The exhibition space is open-plan, with each work scattered throughout, creating a landscape of depth. Countless white threads are strung across the ceiling, creating a gently sloping ceiling. The venue's layout was designed by architect Ryuji Nakamura. Award winners from each category attended the preview. Hirohiko Araki, author of "JoJolion: JoJo's Bizarre Adventure Part 8," which won the Manga Grand Prize, began the preview by commenting, "JoJo has been serialized for over 25 years. I'm happy that it carries that weight." The series has been a hot topic in the fashion world with its fashionable characters, vibrant colors, and collaboration with Gucci, but "fashion is part of the characters. The characters don't take off their hats, even underwater. The color scheme is influenced by Italian brands like Versace, Moschino, and Missoni that were popular in the 1980s when the series first began," explained the author. "I think it has some kind of impact on the lifestyles and mental health of readers. I would be happy if it indirectly leads to a better Japan," he said, looking as youthful as ever, making it hard to believe he's 53 years old. Incidentally, it's not yet decided how many copies are planned. Original drawings and soundtracks that inspired the series will be on display at the venue.

The other grand prizes in the animation category went to "Honey-Colored Yun" by Yun and Laurent Boileau, "crt mgn" by Carsten NICOLAI in the art category, and "Sound of Honda / Ayrton Senna 1989" by Kaoru Kanno, Sotaro Homo, Yu Oki, Nadja Kirilova, Kaori Yonezawa, Mitsutoshi Sekine, Taeji Sawai, and Daito Manabe in the entertainment category. Each winner made an appearance at the venue.

During the event, a variety of programs including screenings, talk events, and live performances will be held at the museum, as well as at Tokyo Midtown, Cinemart Roppongi, and the event bar "Super Deluxe."


[Event Information]
2013 [17th] Japan Media Arts Festival Award-winning Works Exhibition
Main Venue: The National Art Center, Tokyo (Also held at Tokyo Midtown, Cinemart Roppongi, and Super Deluxe)
Address: 7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Dates: February 5th to 16th, 2014
Hours: 10:00 to 18:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays)
Closed: February 12th
Free admission