News Writer: Raven
In just a few months, Emperor Akihito will be abdicating from the Chrysanthemum throne, the first in over two centuries. His abdication and the ascension of his son Crown Prince Naruhito to the throne would then signal the end of the Heisei era, the name given to Emperor Akihito’s reign. This impending end of an era ushers in a flurry of activity in Japan—determining a new era name, preparations for festivities on the Crown Prince’s ascension—but most relevant to us animé fans is determining this:
Which animé theme songs best represent the three decades of the Heisei era?
Thus the Heisei Anisong Grand Prix, which seeks to determine the songs that have best encompassed and were the representative songs of the animé industry from 1989 to 2019. The awards will be divided into three decades (i.e., 1989-1999, 2000-2009, 2010-2019), with each decade’s picks categorized as the following:
These will be determined by a panel of six judges composed of music producer Akihiro Tomita, Nippon broadcasting announcer Hisanori Yoshida, Animelo producer Koji Saito, anisong DJ Kazu, animé writer MaeQ, and Animate’s Masaharu Matsubara.
Fans are also given the chance to help pick the winners, as they can vote on the event’s official website ) until February 8. The final results will be announced on March 1, and a mixed CD of the nominees will be released on March 20.
Source: Anisong Taisho, Anime News Network