The Japan Media Arts Festival is a comprehensive festival of Media Arts (=Media Geijutsu) that honors outstanding works from a diverse range of media - from animation and comics to media art and games. The festival gives awards in each of its four divisions: Art, Entertainment, Animation, and Manga. It also provides a platform for appreciation of the award-winning and other notable works. Since its inception in 1997, the festival has recognized significant works of high artistry and creativity, and in addition to a yearly Exhibition of Award-winning Works has held other events, such as symposiums, screenings, and showcases. Last year, the 18th Festival received 3,853 works from 71 countries and regions around the world, demonstrating is continuing evolution as an established annual international festival. Award-winning works are exhibited both within Japan and abroad through various projects and events organized by the Agency for Cultural Affairs which aims to develop and promote the creation of Media Arts by focusing primarily on the new generation of artists.