Rintaro Named Person of Cultural Merit for Fiscal 2026
The Japanese government selected anime director Rintaro among 21 honorees, while game developer Shigeru Miyamoto receives the Order of Culture.
Anime director Rintaro was selected as one of the fiscal year 2026 Persons of Cultural Merit by the Japanese government, according to Crunchyroll. The government announced the recipients of the Order of Culture and Persons of Cultural Merit on October 23.
Rintaro is among 21 Person of Cultural Merit awardees for the fiscal year. The honor recognizes particularly outstanding achievements in cultural development and improvement. The Person of Cultural Merit ceremony will be held on November 4 in Tokyo.
Separately, game developer Shigeru Miyamoto received the Order of Culture, becoming the first person from the video game industry to do so. The Order of Culture will be presented on November 3 at the Imperial Palace.
Madhouse's official X account posted a congratulatory comment on Rintaro's selection. The director's association with the studio dates back decades.
Prior recipients from anime
Rintaro was born in Tokyo on January 22, 1941, and entered Toei Animation in 1958. He made his directorial debut in 1963 with the TV anime Tetsuwan Atom (Astro Boy), and his debut feature film Galaxy Express 999 was released in 1979, followed by its sequel Adieu Galaxy Express 999 in 1981. He later moved his production base to Madhouse, directing works including Metropolis (2001) and Yona Yona Penguin (2009); his most recent work was the 2023 film Nezumikozo Jirokichi.
Other anime figures previously named Persons of Cultural Merit include Hayao Miyazaki in 2012 and Yoshiyuki Tomino in 2021. Miyamoto himself received the Person of Cultural Merit award in 2019 before this year's Order of Culture honor.
Quick answers
When is the Person of Cultural Merit ceremony for fiscal 2026?
The ceremony will be held on November 4 in Tokyo. The Order of Culture will be presented a day earlier, on November 3, at the Imperial Palace.
Who else received a Japanese cultural honor this year?
Game developer Shigeru Miyamoto received the Order of Culture, the first person from the video game industry to do so.