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37th Japan Cartoonist Awards Announced

The Japan Cartoonists Association of manga creators announced the winners of the 37th Japan Cartoonist Awards on May 9. Naoki Urasawa's combined 20th Century Boys and 21st Century Boys storyline and Hiroko Minami's Hina-chan no Nichijo won this year's Grand Prizes. The judging committee, which included Anpanman creator Takashi Yanase and Lupin III creator Monkey Punch, praised the 20th Century Boys suspense manga as a "masterpiece that set an entirely new level" for manga after World War II. The committee also noted Hina-chan no Nichijo's adorable characters and Minami's talent in imparting the atmosphere of these characters' everyday life. The Divine Comedy and Tama-chan and Chibi-maru won the Grand Prizes last year.

Urasawa and Minami will each receive a gold-leaf plate, a medal, and 500,000 yen (about US$5,000). The winners of the Award of Excellence and Awards of Special Recognition (as listed below) will receive a gold-leaf plate, a medal, and 200,000 yen (about US$2,000). The awards ceremony will take place on June 13 at the Grand Prince Hotel Akasaka in Tokyo.

Grand Prizes

Naoki Urasawa
20th Century Boys/21st Century Boys
Shogakukan

Hiroko Minami
Hina-chan no Nichijo
Sankei Shimbun Shuppan

Award of Excellence

Seika Nakayama
Alfheim no Kishi (Knights of Alfheim)
Akita Shoten

Awards of Special Recognition

Haruyuki Nakano
Nazo no Mangaka: Sakai Shichima Den (The Mysterious Manga Creator: The Story of Shichima Sakai)
Chikuma Shobo

Manpu Hashizume
For his entire body of works

Literary Giant Award

Kuniharu Naruse
For his entire body of works

Source: Jiji Press