Major staff

Chairman of the Committee

• Yasuki Hamano, 1996–2005
• Akira Kamiya, 2006–2015

Chairman of the examination

The examination was done mainly by a panel of chief editors of magazines covering anime, such as Newtype, Animedia and Animage. Usually, a city employee sent by Kobe City would also participate.^[1] The panel voted for one of its members to serve as chairman:^[2]

• Nobuo Oda, 1998 – chief editor of Animedia
• Susumu Asaka, 1999 – chief editor of CD-ROM Fan
• Toshihiro Fukuoka, 2000 – chief editor of Weekly Ascii
• Masahito Arinaga, 2001 – chief editor of a new magazine of MediaWorks
• Akitaro Daichi, 2002–2003 – animation director
• Kenji Yano, 2004 – chief editor of Newtype
• Yasushi Nakaji, 2006 – chief editor of Animedia
• Toshihiro Fukuoka, 2007 – chief editor of Weekly Ascii
• Isao Fujioka, 2008 – chairman of MdN Corporation

Individual Award

The activities from September of the previous year to August of the event year become objects for the examination. Newcomers expected to have future prominence are noted.^[3][4]

* Watanabe, Okiura, Nagahama, Iso and Katō received the award for their first films as director.

Special Award

Awards for individual(s) or group that contributed to Japanese anime during a long period.^[3][4]

In the first year, the Yomiuri Award was posthumously given to Fujiko F. Fujio who died two months before the event.

Theatrical Film Award

Animation films released in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year become candidates. The candidates are selected not only from Japan, but also from other countries. However, the committee sees more importance in a point of view promoting young creators of Japan.^[3][4]

Television Award

The TV animations broadcast in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year, excluding rebroadcasts, become candidates. The candidates are selected not only from Japan but also from other countries. However, the committee sees more importance in a point of view promoting young creators of Japan.^[3][4]

Packaged Work Award

The packaged media distributed in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year become candidates. The candidates are selected not only from Japan but also from other countries. However, the committee sees more importance in a point of view promoting young creators of Japan.^[3][4]

Network Award

Re-created in 2000 as Network Media Award, the anime-related media making the best use of interactive distribution in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year become candidates.

The word Network does not mean only Internet. The candidates are selected not only from Japan but also from other countries. However, the committee sees more importance in a point of view promoting young creators of Japan.^[4]

Theme Song Award

The theme songs of either anime or other forms of animated media distributed in Japan from September of the previous year to August of the event year become candidates. The voting by fans is counted, and the five songs with the highest number of votes become the candidates for the final competition. Especially, the committee sees more importance in original songs made for an anime, sung in the 'spirit' of the work.^[4]

Only the Theme Song Award is influenced by the fans. This format started from the 4th event. The total number of votes in a year is about 10,000 votes. The result of the vote is also announced on the official sites of Radio Kansai, Anitama.com and the programs of Radio Kansai before the event. Though this is a preliminary vote to reduce the candidates to final, as of 2013,^[update] the candidates chosen in first by the vote have always won the award.