Shikaku Anime Short From Tatsuki Fujimoto Anthology Wins Bucheon Audience Prize

The short anime film Shikaku, based on a story from the 17-26 anthology by Tatsuki Fujimoto, has won the Audience Prize at the Bucheon International Animation Festival 2025. The win puts an international spotlight on a project that was already generating buzz among fans of Fujimoto’s work.

Tatsuki Fujimoto is best known for Chainsaw Man and Look Back, and the 17-26 anthology collects several of his earlier short manga pieces. Shikaku is one of those stories adapted into an animated short.

Winning the audience vote at a festival like Bucheon is a meaningful recognition, since it reflects what actual viewers responded to rather than a panel decision. It suggests the film lands emotionally even with audiences who may not know the source material.

My take: Fujimoto’s shorter works do not always get the same attention as Chainsaw Man, but they are some of his most interesting writing. This award is a nice reminder that those stories are worth seeking out, and hopefully Shikaku finds a wider audience because of it.