There are two notable results here. One in that The Boxtrolls topped the nomination count over what would have been the standard DreamWorks topper How to Train Your Dragon 2 (though, if you look at history, Laika does really well with the Annie Awards). Two, The Lego Movie only secured 6 nominations, fifth-most for the day. It was nominated for the important awards, but a lower nomination tally isn’t a positive sign.

Nominations Tallies

(13) The Boxtrolls
(10) How to Train Your Dragon 2
(7) Big Hero 6, Song of the Sea
(6) The Lego Movie
(5) The Book of Life
(4) Mr. Peabody & Sherman, Rio 2
(3) Cheatin’, Penguins of Madagascar, The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

The Nominations

Best Animated Feature

Big Hero 6
The Book of Life
The Boxtrolls
Cheatin’
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The Lego Movie
Song of the Sea
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

Best Animated Short Subject

Coda
The Dam Keeper
Duet
Feast
Inside Homer – The Simpsons Couch Gag (Episode #549)
Me and My Moulton
The Raven
Silent

Best Animated Effects, Animation

Big Hero 6
The Book of Life
The Boxtrolls
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The Lego Movie
Mr. Peabody & Sherman
Penguins of Madagascar

Best Animated Effects, Live Action

The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Edge of Tomorrow
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Noah
Transformers: Age of Extinction
X-Men: Days of Future Past

Best Character Animation, Animated Feature

The Boxtrolls – Travis Knight
The Boxtrolls – Malcolm Lamont
The Boxtrolls – Jason Stalman
How to Train Your Dragon 2 – Fabio Lignini
How to Train Your Dragon 2 – Steven “Shaggy” Hornby
How to Train Your Dragon 2 – Thomas Grummt
Penguins of Madagascar – Ravi Kamble

Best Character Animation, Live Action Feature

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – Daniel Barrett, Paul Story, Eteuati Tema, Alessandro Bonora, Dejan Momcilovic
Guardians of the Galaxy – Kevin Spruce, Dale Newton, Sidney Kombo, Chris Mullins, Brad Silby
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug – Eric Reynolds, David Clayton, Andreja Vuckovic, Guillaume Francois, Gios Johnston

Best Character Design

Big Hero 6 – Shiyoon Kim, Jin Kim
The Book of Life – Paul Sullivan, Sandra Equihua, Jorge R. Gutierrez
The Boxtrolls – Mike Smith
Mr. Peabody & Sherman – Timothy Lamb, Joe Moshier
Penguins of Madagascar – Craig Kellman, Joe Moshier, Stevie Lewis, Todd Kurosawa
Rio 2 – Sang Jun Lee, Jason Sadler, José Manuel Fernandez Oli
Song of the Sea – Tomm Moore, Marie Thorhauge, Sandra Anderson, Rosa Ballester Cabo

Best Directing

Big Hero 6 – Don Hall & Chris Williams
The Book of Life – Jorge R. Gutierrez
The Boxtrolls – Anthony Stacchi & Graham Annable
Cheatin’ – Bill Plympton
How to Train Your Dragon 2 – Dean DeBlois
The Lego Movie – Phil Lord & Christopher Miller, Directors; Chris McKay, Co-Director
Song of the Sea – Tomm Moore
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya – Isao Takahata

Best Music

Cheatin’ – Nicole Renaud, Composer
How to Train Your Dragon 2 – John Powell, Jónsi
Mr. Peabody & Sherman – Danny Elfman
Song of the Sea – Bruno Coulais & Kila
The Tale of The Princess Kaguya – Joe Hisaishi

Best Production Design

The Book of Life – Simon Varela & Paul Sullivan
The Boxtrolls – Paul Lasaine, Tom McClure & August Hall
The Lego Movie – Grant Freckelton
Mr. Peabody & Sherman – David James, Ruben Perez, Priscilla Wong, Timothy Lamb & Alexandre Puvilland
Song of the Sea – Adrien Merigeau

Best Storyboarding

Big Hero 6 – Marc E. Smith
The Boxtrolls – Julian Nariño
The Boxtrolls – Emanuela Cozzi
How to Train Your Dragon 2 – Truong “Tron” Son Mai
Planes: Fire & Rescue – Piero Peluso
Rio 2 – John Hurst
Rio 2 – Rodrigo Castro

Best Voice Acting

The Boxtrolls – Sir Ben Kingsley as the voice of Archibald Snatcher
The Boxtrolls – Dee Bradley Baker as the voice of Fish
Henry & Me – Cyndi Lauper as the voice of Nurse Cyndi
Rio 2 – Andy Garcia as the voice of Eduardo

Best Writing

Big Hero 6 – Robert L. Baird, Daniel Gerson & Jordan Roberts
The Boxtrolls – Irena Brignull & Adam Pava
How to Train Your Dragon 2 – Dean DeBlois
The Lego Movie – Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
Song of the Sea – Will Collins

Best Editing

Big Hero 6 – Tim Mertens
How to Train Your Dragon 2 – John K. Carr
The Lego Movie – David Burrows, Todd Hansen, Doug Nicholas, Jonathan Tappin & Courtney O’Brien-Brown
Planes: Fire & Rescue – Dan Molina, Mark Keefer & Karen Hathaway
Song of the Sea – Darragh Byrne

Annie Awards Data

Year Founded: 1972
First Awards: 1992 (23)