Oban Star-Racers nominated for BAFTA award
Paul •
Oban Star-Racers has been nominated for the Best Children’s Animation award at the 2007 BAFTAs (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) – the other three nominations are all CBBC cartoons (Charlie and Lola Christmas Special, The Secret Show and Shaun the Sheep).
Being a truly global production, Oban Star Racers was animated in Japan by anime studio “Hal Film Maker” alongside French indie animation house “Sav! The World Productions”. Despite being financed by Europe, there is a pronounced anime influence in both the visual aesthetic and story telling, with even the soundtrack being produced in Japan; the opening and ending themes were composed by the legendary Yoko “Cowboy Bebop” Kanno while the score itself was created by Taku Iwasaki, now famous for his acclaimed work on the recent GAINAX anime Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann.
Though it faces stiff competition from the three British cartoons that it’s up against, the creative team behind Oban Star-Racers will be celebrating a real coup, having been nominated for such a prestigious British award.
