Three Anime Oscars (No, Not Like That)

Another Academy Awards season has come and gone. We’ve seen the wins, the sweeps, and the surprises. There may not have been any anime representation in this year’s animation categories, but that’s not going to stop us from talking about our favorite anime Oscars!

And no, we don’t mean Spirited Away‘s much-deserved win. We’re finding our joy where we can, digging deep to celebrate some of our favorite characters over the decades. And quietly holding out hope that 2024 will bring some rep with it.

 

Lt. Oscar, The Woman Called Fujiko Mine

The Woman Called Fujiko Mine put a spicy spin on Lupin the Third, thanks to the writing of Mari Okada and the direction of Sayo Yamamoto. It also introduced us to one of our most memorable anime Oscars: Inspector Zenigata’s second-in-command, Lt. Oscar. While not seen elsewhere in the franchise, he leaves an indelible mark on the show during his short tenure.

The lieutenant has a shady past. Zenigata seems to be his father figure, if not his outright adopted father. And Oscar has some serious feelings for his superior. He’s also a gorgeous man, often mistaken for a woman. Kind of sounds like a take on someone else we know…

 

Oscar, Pokémon

The Pokémon franchise has at least two Oscars, but the one we’re thinking of resides in Unova with his granddaughter and his Stoutland. While he plays only a small role in the series’s lore, he does encounter one of the most famous ‘mons out there: Mewtwo.

Appearing alongside granddaughter Anna in Mewtwo — Prologue to Awakening, this Oscar is rescued by the Genetic Pokémon and tells the tale to Virgil. Later, Oscar and Anna return the favor when the mercenary Dirk shows up to capture Mewtwo.

This kindly granddad may not be the only Oscar in the series, but the other one is so inspired by someone else that featuring him would feel redundant. Speaking of which…

 

Lady Oscar, The Rose of Versailles

She’s the Oscar who, at this point, inspires all other anime Oscars. If you see the name on a beautiful anime character, there’s a high chance that they’re inspired by the Rose of Versailles heroine. Raised as a man, Lady Oscar steals the spotlight from historical heroine Marie Antoinette as she navigates love, life, and revolution in France.

In fact, Oscar’s tragic romance is so legendary, you’ll often see her referenced alongside her love, André. If you’ve seen the references across other anime but never seen the show itself, this is a good year to get into it. A 50th anniversary film is currently in production!