The 48th Japan Academy Film Prize ceremony was held on March 14, 2025, at the Grand Prince Hotel Shin Takanawa in Tokyo, Japan. The night’s biggest winner was A Samurai in Time, which earned the Best Film award after becoming a surprise independent hit through strong word-of-mouth. Other major winners included Michihito Fujii for Best Director and Ryusei Yokohama for Best Actor, both for Faceless, while Yuumi Kawai won Best Actress for A Girl Named Ann. Although Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General collected the most awards overall, the ceremony was highlighted by the unexpected Best Film victory of A Samurai in Time.
Major Winners
| Category | Winner | Film |
|---|---|---|
| Best Film | A Samurai in Time | A Samurai in Time |
| Best Director | Michihito Fujii | Faceless |
| Best Actor | Ryusei Yokohama | Faceless |
| Best Actress | Yuumi Kawai | A Girl Named Ann |
| Best Supporting Actor | Takao Osawa | Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General |
| Best Supporting Actress | Riho Yoshioka | Faceless |
| Best Screenplay | Akiko Nogi | Last Mile |
| Best Animation Film | Look Back | Look Back |
Faceless Dominates the Awards
Although A Samurai in Time won the most important award (Best Film), the film that dominated the 48th Japan Academy Film Prize in terms of number of wins was Faceless (Shotai), closely followed by Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General.
- Best Director
- Best Actor
- Best Supporting Actress
Newcomer of the Year Winners
Actors and actresses at the beginning of their careers or who had a breakthrough role during 2025. It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the person’s first film.
| Winner | Film |
|---|---|
| Asuka Saito | Oshi no Ko: The Final Act |
| Nagisa Saito | Oshi no Ko: The Final Act |
| Anna Yamada | Golden Kamuy |
| Eiji Akaso | 366 Days |
| Rihito Itagaki | Hakkenden |
| Keita Koshiyama | Buzzy Noise |
| Jun Saito | Karaoke Iko! |
| Shintaro Morimoto | MARS: The White Lion |
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.
Faceless (Drama/Mistery/Thriller)
Bound by escape and identity, a fugitive on the run assumes multiple personas as a relentless investigation closes in, uncovering a hidden truth behind a crime that may not be what it seems.
A young woman shaped by hardship and abandonment struggles to survive on the margins of society, slowly uncovering fragile moments of hope and connection as she searches for a way to reclaim her identity.
A logistics center becomes the center of a national crisis when a series of explosive packages triggers panic across Japan’s largest delivery network. As investigators race against time, hidden tensions inside the system begin to surface, revealing how one incident can ripple through an entire country.
Actors Featured here Who Won Awards
Here you will find several other reviewed Japanese films in which they participated.
| Category | Winner | Film |
|---|---|---|
| Best Actor | Ryusei Yokohama | Faceless |
| Best Actress | Yuumi Kawai | A Girl Named Ann |
| Best Supporting Actor | Takao Osawa | Kingdom 4: Return of the Great General |
| Best Supporting Actress | Riho Yoshioka | Faceless |