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Previous Winners
AnoHana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2012)
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With the decreasing value of the Australian dollar and not-so-cheap shipping costs, it has been much more difficult to source anime titles from North America this year. This is especially because the range of titles on offer continues to consistently grow. While I was going to put this award to rest for 2014, ultimately there were a couple of titles that I still consider worthwhile receiving recognition. Therefore, North American Anime Release of the Year has been demoted down to a minor award this year, with only a single winner being announced.
As with last year’s winner, it may be debatable if this is a North American anime release as it is not region locked and copies can easily be shipped around the world. However as this set was published by Aniplex of America earlier this year, I have decided that Persona 3 the Movie #1 – Spring of Birth is my selection for the award this year.
Persona 3 the Movie #1 Spring of Birth made a satisfying watch that managed to evoke a lot of nostalgia in addition to throwing new creative twists into the mix that kept the experience fresh. By itself the film might not hold that much weight for newcomers, but if the quality stays this high, then it should make for a very pleasing experience for series veterans and strong starting point for new fans once concluded. Part #2: Midsummer Knight’s Dream is set for release in Japan from March 2015, although Aniplex of America have not announced plans for an import edition as of this post.
