Annie Nominations: Frozen and Monsters University Lead the Pack

The Awards season is upon us and the Annies have taken the lead, announcing their nominations for outstanding achievements in the animation field. For animation fans, this is the only time we can see animated films get rewarded in multiple categories, instead of just the usual "Best Animated Feature." Here's a full breakdown of the nominations for both production and individual categories in theatrical films:

Best Animated Feature

• A Letter to Momo - 
GKIDS
• Despicable Me 2 - 
Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures
• Ernest & Celestine
 - GKIDS
• Frozen - 
Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Monsters University - 
Pixar Animation Studios
• The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
• The Wind Rises
 - Studio Ghibli/Touchstone Pictures

Outstanding Achievement, Animated Effects in an Animated Production

• Alen Lai, David Quirus, Diego Garzon Sanchez, Ilan Gabai - Epic
 - Blue Sky Studios
• David Jones - Dragons: Defenders of Berk
 - DreamWorks Animation
• Joshua Jenny, Jason Johnston, Matthew Wong, Eric Froemling, Enrique Vila - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
• Jeff Budsberg, Andre Le Blanc, Louis Flores, Jason Mayer - The Croods - 
DreamWorks Animation 
• Greg Gladstone, Nikita Pavlov, Allen Ruilova, Matt Titus, Can Yuksel - Turbo
 - DreamWorks Animation

Outstanding Achievement, Character Animation in a Feature Production

• Thom Roberts - Epic
 - Blue Sky Studios
• Jonathan Del Val – Despicable Me 2
 - Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures
• Jakob Jensen - The Croods - 
DreamWorks Animation
• John Chun Chiu Lee - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
• Kitaro Kosaka – The Wind Rises - 
Studio Ghibli/Touchstone Pictures
• Tony Smeed - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios
• Patrick Imbert - Ernest & Celestine
 - GKIDS

Outstanding Achievement, Character Design in an Animated Feature Production

• Carter Goodrich, Takao Noguchi, Shane Prigmore - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
• Sylvain Deboissy, Shannon Tindle - Turbo - DreamWorks Animation
• Craig Kellman – Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 - 
Sony Pictures Animation
• Chris Sasaki - Monsters University - 
Pixar Animation Studios
• Christophe Lourdelet - A Monster in Paris
 - Shout! Factory
• Eric Guillon – Despicable Me 2 - 
 Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures
• Bill Schwab - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Directing in an Animated Feature Production

• Chris Sanders, Kirk DeMicco - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
• David Soren - Turbo - 
DreamWorks Animation
• Chris Wedge - Epic
 - Blue Sky Studios
• Benjamin Renner, Vincent Patar, Stéphane Aubier - Ernest & Celestine
 - GKIDS
• Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Music in an Animated Feature Production

• Alan Silvestri - The Croods - 
DreamWorks Animation
• Henry Jackman - Turbo
 - DreamWorks Animation
• Mark Mothersbaugh – Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2
 - Sony Pictures Animation
• Heitor Pereira, Pharrell Williams – Despicable Me 2
 - Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures
• Danny Elfman - Epic - Blue Sky Studios
• Randy Newman - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
• Kristen Anderson-Lopez, Robert Lopez, Christophe Beck - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios
• 
Dominic Lewis - Free Birds - 
Reel FX

Outstanding Achievement, Production Design in an Animated Feature Production

• Christophe Lautrette, Paul Duncan, Dominique R. Louis - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
• Yarrow Cheney, Eric Guillon – Despicable Me 2
 - Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures
• Michael Knapp, Greg Couch, William Joyce - Epic
 - Blue Sky Studios
• Zaza, Zyk - Ernest & Celestine - GKIDS
• Ricky Nierva, Robert Kondo, Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
• Michael Giaimo, Lisa Keene, David Womersley - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Storyboarding in an Animated Feature Production

• Steven MacLeod - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
• Eric Favela – Despicable Me 2 - 
 Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures
• Dean Kelly - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
• Jason Hand - Planes
- Disneytoon Studios
• John Ripa - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Voice Acting in an Animated Feature Production

• Paul Giamatti as the voice of Chet - Turbo
 - DreamWorks Animation
• Terry Crews as the voice of Earl – Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2
 - Sony Pictures Animation
• Kristen Wiig as the voice of Lucy – Despicable Me 2
 - Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures
• Steve Carell as the voice of Gru – Despicable Me 2
 - Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures
• Pierre Coffin as the voice of Minions - Despicable Me 2
 - Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures
• Billy Crystal as the voice of Mike – Monsters University – Pixar Animation Studios
• Josh Gad as the voice of Olaf - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Writing in an Animated Feature Production

• Daniel Pennac - Ernest & Celestine
 - GKIDS
• Daniel Gerson, Robert L. Baird, Dan Scanlon - Monsters University - 
Pixar Animation Studios
• Miyazaki Hayao 
- Studio Ghibli/Touchstone Pictures
• Jennifer Lee - Frozen
 - Walt Disney Animation Studios

Outstanding Achievement, Editorial in an Animated Feature Production

• Darren Holmes - The Croods
 - DreamWorks Animation
• James Ryan - Turbo
 - DreamWorks Animation
• Fabienne Alvarez-Giro - Ernest & Celestine - 
GKIDS
• Greg Snyder, Gregory Amundson, Steve Bloom - Monsters University
 - Pixar Animation Studios
• Jeff Draheim - Frozen - 
Walt Disney Animation Studios

Frozen and Monsters University are at the head of the pack with 10 nominations each, followed by Despicable Me 2 and The Croods with 9. Turbo and Ernest & Celestine followed with 6, and Epic has 4. The Wind Rises and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 have 3, and Planes, Free Birds and A Letter to Momo have one. As always, some nominations are cause for controversy. How could Dan Scanlon or Hayao Miyazaki not be nominated for Best Director but Chris Wedge is, for what it is easily one of the one worst animated films of the year? But, aside from that, most nominations are well deserved.

It's also worth noting that WDAS' short film Get a Horse! also got a nomination and Pixar's Toy Story of Terror! got an astounding seven! Not bad for a studio that many are claiming is going downhill, eh?

To see the rest of the nominees and categories go to the official Annie Awards site. The 41st Annie Awards ceremony will be held on 1st February, 2014. Make your predictions now!