^{Credit: Arco (Neon), Elio (Pixar), Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle (Crunchyroll), KPop Demon Hunters (Netflix, Sony Pictures Animation), Little Amélie or the Character of Rain (GKIDS), and Zootopia 2 (Walt Disney Motion Pictures).}

The 83rd Golden Globe Awards nominations have been announced. In the Best Animated Feature category, the nominees are Arco, Elio, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle, KPop Demon Hunters, Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, and Zootopia 2. Demon Slayer got the most significant boost this morning after missing at the Critics’ Choice Movie Awards, where In Your Dreams was nominated instead. This isn’t Demon Slayer’s first major nomination of the season. It was also nominated at the Astra Film Awards, which almost matched the Golden Globe nominees, except In Your Dreams was nominated there instead of Elio. Where these award shows have six Best Animated Feature nominees, the Academy Awards only have five, meaning Elio, In Your Dreams, and Demon Slayer will likely battle it out for that final slot come Oscar time.

While Demon Slayer benefited the most from the Globes nomination, Demon Hunters had the best morning with three nominations overall. In addition to Best Animated Feature, KPop Demon Hunters is up for Best Original Song (“Golden”) and Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, with Zootopia 2 also getting into the latter category. Being the most nominated animated film doesn’t necessarily mean Demon Hunters has Best Animated Feature locked up. After Flow beat The Wild Robot last year, all eyes will be on the Golden Globes to see if voters can reshape the Oscar race. While Flow had won several regional critics' prizes heading into the Globes, it wasn’t until the little cat film won on a televised awards show that prognosticators took it seriously as a Best Animated Feature frontrunner. The Wild Robot seemingly rebounded at the Critics’ Choice Awards and PGA. By Oscar night, though, Flow had the momentum it needed to go all the way.

We could see a similar scenario play out this year. KPop Demon Hunters is the populous pick, which will likely translate to wins at Critics’ Choice and PGA. The Golden Globes may throw a curveball as they did with Flow. The question is, “What could be this year’s Flow?” Arco may be in the best position, having recently won at the National Board of Review. Little Amélie or the Character of Rain is also picking up steam, winning Best Animated Film at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, although KPop Demon Hunters was the runner-up. If either of those European animated films wins the Globe, they might go on to win at BAFTA, where KPop Demon Hunters isn’t eligible.

That said, if KPop Demon Hunters can win the Golden Globe, it might sweep at every televised award show, minus BAFTA, on the way to the Oscars. Several years ago, the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature went to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, cementing it as the Oscar frontrunner. As revolutionary as Into the Spider-Verse was, some weren’t sure if it would be taken seriously as an awards player. Once it won the Golden Globe, the idea of it winning the Oscar no longer seemed like a pipe dream. Similarly, K-Pop Demon Hunters didn’t sound like a future Oscar winner on paper. If it’s golden at the Golden Globes, though, an Oscar win seems inevitable.

KPop Demon Hunters could win another Golden Globe in Best Original Song for “Golden,” which is nominated against “Dream as One” from Avatar: Fire and Ash, “I Lied to You” from Sinners, “No Place Like Home” and “The Girl in the Bubble” from Wicked: For Good, and “Train Dreams” from Train Dreams. Although “Golden” is a global sensation and has been nominated for Song of the Year at the Grammys, it has a significant stat to overcome at the Golden Globes. A song from an animated film hasn’t won here since "Song of the Heart" from Happy Feet almost two decades ago. “Song of the Heart” didn’t go on to be nominated for an Oscar. The last song from an animated film to win the Golden Globe and the Oscar was “You’ll Be in My Heart” from Tarzan.

“Golden” might lose the Golden Globe to “I Lied to You” from Sinners. Even if that happens, we shouldn’t count out “Golden” for the Oscar yet. “Let It Go” from Frozen and “Remember Me” from Coco lost at the Globes, but went on to win the Oscar. “Let It Go” and “Remember Me” also won at Critics’ Choice, however. If “Golden” loses the Globe and CCA, “I Lied to You” has it all wrapped up at the Oscars. If there’s a split at Globes and CCA, then Best Original Song will be one of the most tense nail-biters going into the Oscars.

KPop Demon Hunters was notably left out of Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, despite being a musical sensation. Animation used to perform quite well in this category, with Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Toy Story 2 pulling off wins. After getting their own Globes category in 2006, animated features were deemed ineligible in the Musical or Comedy race. Those rules have since been modified, allowing animated features to compete in multiple categories. One has yet to break back into Musical or Comedy, however.

A few animated films have been nominated in the new category for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement. Although box office is in the title, the category is still open to films that became hits on streaming. This allowed KPop Demon Hunters to be nominated against Avatar: Fire and Ash, F1, Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning, Sinners, Weapons, Wicked: For Good, and Zootopia 2. While there’s little doubt that Avatar: Fire and Ash will make bank, it’s made $0 as of writing. Ironically, the highest-grossing film of 2025, Ne Zha 2, wasn’t eligible in this category. Despite grossing over $2 billion worldwide, Ne Zha 2 barely made it past the $20 million mark in the U.S. To qualify for this category, a theatrical release needs to make at least $100 million in the States.

To recap, the Best Animated Feature nominees are:

Arco

Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – The Movie: Infinity Castle

Elio

KPop Demon Hunters

Little Amélie or the Character of Rain

Zootopia 2

Winners for the 83rd Golden Globes will be announced on January 11, 2026.

Nick Spake is the Author of Bright & Shiny: A History of Animation at Award Shows Volumes 1 and 2. Available Now!