[en] In nanogranular CoPtC thin films, the CoPt nanocrystals embedded in graphite-like C were found to have an elongated prolate ellipsoid-like shape. The long axes of the ellipsoids were perpendicular to the film plane, that is, in the film-growth direction. The shape magnetic anisotropy resulting from the shape of the CoPt ellipsoids gave rise to a magnetization component out of the film plane. The easy axis of the magnetization remained as that of the film plane