"Akunin" and "13 Assassins" top 23rd annual Nikkan Sports Film Awards

by Chris MaGee

Not sure where the time has gone, but 2010 is drawing to a close, which means that awards season is creeping up on us. One of the first of Japan's many film awards were announced this past week. The 23rd Nikkan Sports Film Awards named what they believed were the best films and performances of 2010 and two films came to the fore as potential front runners for coming film awards in the next few months. Those were Sang-il Lee's "Akunin (Villain)" and Takashi Miike's "13 Assassins".

Lee's "Akunin" (above) took home top prizes in the Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Actress categories. Meanwhile "13 Assassins" snagged it's director Takashi Miike top honours and Goro Inagaki top prize in the Best Supporting Actor category. Another star from a Miike film was also honoured - Riisa Nakai was named Best Newcomer for her role in Miike's "Zebraman 2", amongst other projects.

You can check out all the winners below courtesy of Tokyograph. The trophies for the 23rd Nikkan Sports Film Awards will be presented in a ceremony in Tokyo on December 28th

Best Picture: "Akunin" (Sang-il Lee)
Best Director: Takashi Miike ("13 Assassins")
Best Actor: Satoshi Tsumabuki ("Akunin")
Best Actress: Eri Fukatsu ("Akunin")
Best Supporting Actor: Goro Inagaki ("13 Assassins")
Best Supporting Actress: Yu Aoi ("Otouto")
Best Newcomer: Riisa Naka ("Zebraman 2," "Toki wo Kakeru Shoujo")
Best Foreign Film: "The Hurt Locker"
Yujiro Ishihara Award: "THE LAST MESSAGE: Umizaru"
Yujiro Ishihara Best Newcomer Award: Kengo Kora ("Oniichan no Hanabi," "Solanin")