'Soul' And 'Wolfwalkers' Lead The 2021 Annie Awards With 10 Nominations Each

Every year, Annie Awards does what the Golden Globes, the Oscars, and all the other big awarding bodies cannot: properly celebrate the best of animation. And this year, the ASIFA-Hollywood's annual animation awards did their job right, doling out the most nominations to two of the best movies of the year: Pixar's singular Soul and Cartoon Saloon's hand-drawn masterpiece Wolfwalkers. But which one will deservedly walk away with the most prizes? We'll have to find out when the 48th Annie Awards are streamed live on April 16, 2021.

Soul and Wolfwalkers both dominated the 2021 Annie Awards nominations, leading the pack with 10 nods each. They're both expected to win their respective feature and best independent feature categories, but are nose-to-nose when it comes to direction, FX, character animation, character design, production design, score, storyboarding, and writing. But each has one nomination for a category the other does not — Soul for editorial, Wolfwalkers for voice acting.

I'm personally pulling for Wolfwalkers, Cartoon Saloon's breathtaking feat of hand-drawn animation which looks and feels like no other animated film today. It's naturally the underdog — Pixar has another seven nominations for Onward, and leads for studios overall — but it feels right that the exquisite Wolfwalkers should get acknowledged by the animation industry when it's becoming more likely that Soul will walk away with the mainstream awards like the Oscars.

Meanwhile, it's nice that anime films like On-Gaku: Our Sound and Ride Your Wave are getting nods, with more Eastern independent features getting more notice outside of the domineering force that is Studio Ghibli (which sadly disappointed with the still-nominated Earwig and the Witch). Also, shout-out to Aardman/Netflix's stop-motion  A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon for getting three nods despite being undeservedly overlooked last year.

Here is the full list of 2021 Annie Awards nominations (via IndieWire):

Best FeatureOnwardSoulThe Croods: A New AgeThe WilloughbysTrolls World TourBest Indie FeatureA Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon

Calamity Jane

On-Gaku: Our SoundRide Your Wave

Wolfwalkers

Best Special ProductionBaba YagaNixie & NimboThe Snail and the WhaleBest Short SubjectFilles Bleues, Peur BlancheKKUMSouvenir SouvenirThe Places Where We Live (Cake)World of Tomorrow Episode Three: The AbsentBest SponsoredErste Group 'Edgar's Christmas'Max & MaxineThe Last MileThere's a Monster in My KitchenTravel the VoteBest TV/Media – PreschoolBuddi

Episode: Snow

Muppet Babies

Episode: Wock-a-bye-Fozzie

Stillwater

Episode: The Impossible

The Adventures of Paddington

Episode: Paddington Digs a Tunnel to Peru

Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum: I am Madam President

Episode: I am Madam

Best TV/Media – ChildrenHilda

Episode: Chapter 9: The Deerfox

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Episode: Finale Part 4: Rise

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Episode: Heart Part 2

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Episode: Shattered

Victor And Valentino

Episode: The Lonely Haunts

Best TV/Media – General AudienceClose Enough

Episode: Logan's Run'd/Room Parents

Genndy Tartakovsky's Primal

Episode: Coven Of The Damned

Harley Quinn

Episode: Something Borrowed, Something Green

Rick and Morty

Episode: The Vat of Acid Episode

The Midnight Gospel

Episode: Mouse of Silver

Best Student Film100,000 Acres of Pine

Coffin

La BestiaLatitude du printempsO Black Hole!Best FX for TV/MediaFast & Furious: Spy Racers

Episode: Sirocco Fire Explosion

Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous

Episode: Welcome to Jurassic World

Lamp Life

Episode: Lamp Life

Tales of Arcadia: Wizards

Episode: Killahead, Part Two

Transformers: War For Cybertron Trilogy (Siege)

Episode: Episode 6

Best FX for FeatureOver the MoonSoulThe Croods: A New AgeTrolls World TourWolfwalkersBest Character Animation – TV/MediaAlien XmasBoJack HorsemanCosmos: Possible WorldsHildaLamp LifeBest Character Animation – FeatureOnwardSoulThe Croods: A New AgeThe WilloughbysWolfwalkersBest Character Animation – Live ActionThe Christmas Chronicles 2The MandalorianThe Umbrella Academy 2Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were MadeBest Character Animation – Video GameLeague of LegendsMarvels Spider-Man Miles Morales

The Last of Us Part II

Best Character Design – TV/MediaAmphibia

Episode: The Shut-In!

BNA

Episode: Runaway Raccoon

Craig of the CreekThe Owl House

Episode: Young Blood, Old

Best Character Design – FeatureSoulThe Croods: A New AgeThe WilloughbysTrolls World TourWolfwalkersBest Direction – TV/MediaGenndy Tartakovsky's Primal

Episode: Plague Of Madness

Great Pretender

Episode: Case 1_1: Los Angeles Connection

Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart

Episode: Mao Mao's Nakey

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Episode: Battle Nexus NYC

The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse

Episode: Hard to Swallow

Best Direction – FeatureCalamity JaneOver the MoonRide Your WaveSoulWolfwalkersBest Music – TV/MediaBlood of Zeus

Episode: Escape or Die

Mira Royal Detective

Episode: The Great Diwali Mystery

Star Trek: Lower Decks

Episode: Crisis Point

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Episode: Victory and Death

The Tiger That Came to TeaBest Music – FeatureOnward

Over the Moon

SoulThe WilloughbysWolfwalkersBest Production Design – TV/MediaBaba YagaThe Adventures of PaddingtonTo: GerardTrash TruckBest Production Design – FeatureOnwardSoulThe WilloughbysWolfwalkersBest Storyboarding – TV/MediaArchibald's Next Big Thing

Episode: Baritone Tea Part 1

Big City Greens

Episode: Cheap Show

Looney Tunes CartoonsMortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's RevengeBest Storyboarding – FeatureEarwig and the WitchOver the MoonRide Your WaveSoul

Wolfwalkers

Best Voice Acting – TV/MediaDragons Rescue Riders

Jeff Bennett (Erik the Wretched)

It's Pony

Jessica DiCicco (Annie)

Phineas and Ferb the Movie

Ashley Tisdale (Candace)

Tales of Arcadia: Wizards

David Bradley (Merlin)

ThunderCats ROAR!

Patrick Seitz (Mumm-Ra, Tygra)

Best Voice Acting – FeatureEarwig and the Witch

Vanessa Marshall (Bella Yaga)

Onward

Tom Holland (Ian Lightfoot)

Over the Moon

Robert G. Chiu (Chin)

The Croods: A New Age

Nicolas Cage (Grug)

Wolfwalkers

Eva Whittaker (Mebh Óg MacTíre)

Best Writing – TV/MediaBig Mouth

Episode: The New Me

Craig of the CreekFancy Nancy

Episode: Nancy's New Friend

Harley Quinn

Episode: Something Borrowed, Something Green

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power

Episode: Heart Part 2

Best Writing – FeatureA Shaun the Sheep Movie: FarmageddonOnwardOver the MoonSoulWolfwalkersBest Editorial – TV/MediaCops and RobbersHildaIf Anything Happens I Love YouLamp LifeTo: GerardBest Editorial – FeatureA Shaun the Sheep Movie: FarmageddonCalamity JaneOnward

Soul

The Willoughbys