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Oscars 2024: Internet upset as 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' loses to 'The Boy and the Heron' in best animation

Hayao Miyazaki's 'The Boy and the Heron' wins the Oscar for best animated feature film

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The Oscars 2024 has kicked off with a bang! During the 96th Academy Awards, 'The Boy and the Heron' won the Oscar for the best animated feature film.

On Sunday evening, Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki won the coveted Academy Award for Best Animated Feature for his exceptional work on the film 'The Boy and the Heron'.

This remarkable achievement solidifies his position as the sole Asian filmmaker to ever emerge victorious in this highly esteemed category.

The category included several other films vying for the same award, such as 'Nimona', 'Robot Dreams', 'Elemental', and 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse'.

Shortly thereafter, a wave of disappointment swept across the Oscar fans, as they collectively expressed their discontent and frustration over the fact that 'Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse' was snubbed for the award. In their eyes, it was far more deserving of the prestigious award.

An X user said, "Spider verse deserved this." Followed by another user who penned, "Not deserved honestly." Another user chimed in, "This is a stolen from spider man." A user went on to say, "Yeah nah….Spidey was the clear winner."

Another user shared, "I don’t know your reasons but I believe spider verse deserved it more.. Congratulations to The Boy and Heron." One user said, "Across the spider verse should’ve won."

What is the film 'The Boy and the Heron' all about?

For the unversed, 'The Boy and the Heron' tells the story of Mahito, a young 12-year-old boy, who struggles to settle in a new town after his mother dies.

However, when a talking heron tells Mahito that his mother is still alive, he enters an abandoned tower in a bid to search for her. The decision leads him to another world.

While having a chat with The Hollywood Reporter in February 2024, Studio Ghibli president and co-founder Toshio Suzuki said, “If he hadn’t made this film, he wouldn’t have been able to die a happy man."

The movie 'The Boy and the Heron' was released in December 2023 in the United States. 

Who stars in 'The Boy and the Heron'?

The cast of 'The Boy and the Heron' includes a talented lineup of actors and actresses such as Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda, Kô Shibasaki, Aimyon, Yoshino Kimura, Takuya Kimura, and Karen Takizawa.

Each of these individuals brings their unique skills, voice, and charisma to the screen, creating a dynamic and captivating performance that has left millions of viewers impressed.

With their stellar performances, the cast of 'The Boy and the Heron' truly brings the story to life and immerses viewers in a world of emotion and drama.