While it's not the full-blown American recognition of anime we've all been waiting for, the American Film Institute, famous for its choices for the "Top 100 films in American history," has announced an upcoming "10 Top 10 Movies" Awards. During a televised CBS event in June, the AFI will release their picks for the top 10 films in 10 different genres: Animation, Fantasies, Romantic Comedies, Sci-Fi, Westerns, Gangsters, Sports, Courtroom Dramas, Mysteries, and Epics.

Regrettably, one of the requirements from the American Film Institute is that the films must be American, which immediately displaces anime of any sort. Still, this appreciation of animation by the mainstream film critiquing scene is an important step towards anime awareness and respect in the United States.

The Animation nominees include The Lion King, Shrek, and some weird ones like Happy Feet. In Fantasy, the third Harry Potter, first Lord of the Rings, and The Wizard of Oz are nominated (among others), while Sci-Fi includes Star Wars Episode IV, Alien, The Matrix, and Tron.
[via American Film Institute]