The 50th Hochi Film Awards was organized by the Hochi Shimbun newspaper, the winners were announced on December 2, 2025, while the awards ceremony was held in Tokyo on December 15, 2025.
The biggest winner of the ceremony was Kokuho, directed by Lee Sang-il. The film swept the top categories, winning Best Film, Best Director, and Best Actor for Ryo Yoshizawa.
The Best Animation Film award went to Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle. The contrast between the prestige drama and the blockbuster made the 50th Hochi Film Awards one of the most memorable editions in recent years.
Major Winners
| Category | Winner | Film |
|---|---|---|
| Best Film | Kokuho | National Treasure (Kokuho) |
| Best Director | Lee Sang-il | National Treasure (Kokuho) |
| Best Actor | Ryo Yoshizawa | National Treasure (Kokuho) |
| Best Actress | Keiko Kitagawa | Night Flower |
| Best Supporting Actor | Jiro Sato | Bakudan (Suzuki=Bakudan) |
| Best Supporting Actress | Misato Morita | Night Flower |
| Best Animation Film | — | Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – Infinity Castle Arc Chapter 1: Akaza Returns |
National Treasure (Kokuho) Dominates the Awards
Kokuho drew attention for its portrayal of the world of kabuki theater and the extensive preparation undertaken by its cast, including more than a year of traditional performance training for Ryo Yoshizawa.
Including names like Ryusei Yokohama, Ken Watanabe, Min Tanaka, Shinobu Terajima, and Masatoshi Nagase, it was praised for its technical precision and the way it “embodies” the art of onnagata, essential to the film’s impact.
| Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Best Film | Kokuho |
| Best Director | Lee Sang-il |
| Best Actor | Ryo Yoshizawa |
Best New Artist of the Year Winner
Hochi values very specific, groundbreaking performances with strong dramatic impact, even when the winner is not a mainstream name.
Takaya Matsutani received the Best New Artist Award at the 50th Hochi Film Awards and the Newcomer of the Year Award at the 49th Japan Academy Film Prize for One Last Throw (2025).
| Winner | Film |
|---|---|
| Takaya Matsutani | One Last Throw |
Films Reviewed here That Won Japan Academy Awards
Here you will find reviews of award-winning Japanese films and my impressions of Japanese culture as portrayed in these films.
A mysterious detainee claims he can foresee terrorist attacks. As bombs begin exploding across Tokyo, a veteran detective is forced into a dangerous battle of wits to uncover the truth.
Bound by brotherhood and rivalry, two aspiring kabuki actors devote decades to their craft, each striving to become a living national treasure of Japanese theater.
Driven by desperation and bound by an unlikely friendship, two women navigate Tokyo’s criminal underworld as a single tragic death threatens to destroy everything they’ve built.
Actors Featured here Who Won Awards
Here you will find other reviewed Japanese films that the winning actors of the 50th Hochi Film Awards participated in.
| Category | Winner | Film |
|---|---|---|
| Best Actor | Ryo Yoshizawa | National Treasure (Kokuho) |
| Best Actress | Keiko Kitagawa | Night Flower |
| Best Supporting Actor | Jiro Sato | Bomb (Suzuki=Bakudan) |
| Best Supporting Actress | Misato Morita | Night Flower |