February 6, 2015

Announcement of Winners for the Eighth International MANGA Award

The International MANGA Award is hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to honor MANGA artists who have contributed to the promotion of MANGA overseas. There were317 entries from 46 countries and regions this year.

Following the first selection carried out with the assistance of the Association of MANGA Publishers, the Jury of the Award led by Ms. Machiko Satonaka (Manga artist) made strict and fair judgment. As a result of the judgment, the Executive Committee of the Award chose a total of 15 winners, including one Gold Award work and three Silver Award works.
The applicant from Mongolia won the Gold Award this year. He is the first-ever winner of the International Manga Award from Mongolia.

On February 12, a ceremony for the Eighth International MANGA Award were held in Tokyo to grant Gold and Silver Awards to the works below.

WINNER

  • Gold Award (the best work)

    The cover of the award-winning book Bumbardai
    Bumbardai (Mongolia)

    Mr. Nambaral Erdenebayar (Mongolia)

    CopyrightЗохиогчийн эрх “Нүүдлийн зурган өгүүлэмж” сан 2013 он
    Published in Mongolia in 2013 (English and Mongolian)
    Born 1984 in Orkhon Province, Mongolia.
    Started drawing comic in 2004, made his debut in 2005 as a comic artist. “Bongo” (2011) was his first hit. Now drawing the 9th volume of Bumbardai series with an aim to show the traditional culture of nomads to the next generation.
    〈Story line〉A story about a connection of a mother and a son, and Mongolian traditional life connected to the mother nature. A 5-year-old boy called Bumbardai bravely leaves his house in a snowstorm to find feces for fuel for his sick mother, carrying his “arag”(basket) and “sawar”(rake) . But a challenging trip awaits him.
    Sample (Viewer)Open a new window Sample (PDF)
    2,102KBOpen a new window

  • Silver Award

    The cover of the award-winning book Mr.Bear
    Mr.Bear (China)

    Ms. Luo mu (China)

    Copyright落木
    Published in China in 2014 (Chinese)
    Born in Sichuan province, China. Studied drawing by herself.
    Won a special prize of Kadokawa Manga Award in 2013.
    Made her debut in 2014 with “Mr. Bear” in a comic magazine “Tianmanlanse”.
    〈Story line〉Xiao Zhang, a boy helping a familyʼs flower shop, has been bullied by bad boys, and is always forced to pay money. But, one day, he was helped by A Sen, who accidentally passed them by. In return, when Xiao Zhang saw A Sen surrounded by the bad boys, he wears a bear costume in disguise and tries to rescue him.
    Sample (Viewer)Open a new window Sample (PDF)
    2,140KBOpen a new window

  • Silver Award

    The cover of the award-winning book ATAN
    ATAN (Malaysia)

    Mr. Ben Wong (Malaysia)

    CopyrightBEN WONG
    Published in Malaysia in 2013 (Malay)
    Made his debut in 2002 with his work “Innocent”.
    Won an “Encouragement Award” (Silver Award) of the 1st International Manga Award in 2007 and attended the ceremony in Tokyo.
    In 2012, he joined PTS media group as a contract artist, drew several works including Super Safee 10 (a story about soccer players) and ATAN.
    〈Story line〉Special friendship with a buffalo “Atan” and the adorable twin girls “Aniqah” and “Anisah” next door is the best gift god has ever given to a boy called Hasbi. But things start to change when one day Hasbi brings Atan to school and because the buffalo was not allowed to enter the school area so was left alone near the river and went missing. After sometime, Aniqah also went missing while the twins visit the same place for “Fireflies” during the rainy season. Atan found safe but because of the long heavy rainy season, Hasbi familyʼs rice fields were damaged and it directly affects the family income. So a painful decision has been made…
    Sample (Viewer)Open a new window Sample (PDF)
    1,361KBOpen a new window

  • Silver Award

    The cover of the award-winning book Room
    Room (Taiwan)

    Ms. 61Chi (Taiwan)

    Copyright2014 by 61Chi
    Published in Taiwan in 2014 (Chinese)
    Born 1988 in Kaohsiun, Taiwan.
    Self-published her first book of illustrations in 2007.
    She graduated from the Art Department of Taiwan Normal University in 2011.
    Made her debut with her work “Emit”in the same year.
    In 2012-2015 she participated in exhibitions such as Angoulême International Comics Festival in France and Independent Comic Artists Exhibition of the 15th ACGHK Exposition.
    〈Story line〉Life is all about entering or leaving from “boxes”; putting your belongings into a box, taking them out; entering the elevator, exiting; shuttling between residence and office; or changing carriage from one to another. In the end we will lie in a box as well and vanish gradually.
    Sample (Viewer)Open a new window Sample (PDF)
    1,376KBOpen a new window

Bronze Award

  • The cover of the award-winning book THE MOAAGA PRINCE
    THE MOAAGA PRINCE

    (Burkina-Faso)

    Cyprien KONDI SAMBU (Burkina-Faso)
  • The cover of the award-winning book Before the rainy evening
    Before the rainy evening

    (China)

    Buddy (China)
  • The cover of the award-winning book Beyond the Cloud
    Beyond the Cloud

    (China)

    Xi jiu (China)
  • The cover of the award-winning book Syncopated Dreams
    Syncopated Dreams

    (France)

    • Laurent Bonneau (France)
    • Mathilde Ramadier (France)
  • The cover of the award-winning book ONLY HUMAN
    ONLY HUMAN

    (Indonesia)

    Mukhlis Nur (Indonesia)
  • The cover of the award-winning book '13:05
    '13:05

    (Jordan)

    Amani Badran (Jordan)
  • The cover of the award-winning book Summer Shroud
    Summer Shroud

    (Russia)

    Ilya Kuvshinov (Russia)
  • The cover of the award-winning book Another World, It Exists.
    Another World, It Exists.

    (Saudi Arabia)

    SaKooo SHS (Saudi Arabia)
  • The cover of the award-winning book Pretty Deadly
    Pretty Deadly

    (Spain,USA)

    • Emma Ríos (Spain)
    • Kelly Sue DeConnick (USA)
  • The cover of the award-winning book The Vice Squad
    The Vice Squad

    (Spain,Belgium)

    • Jordi Lafebre (Spain)
    • Zidro (Belgium)
  • The cover of the award-winning book JUICE 1
    JUICE 1

    (Thailand)

    ART JEENO (Thailand)
Executive Committee
Chairman
Mr. Fumio Kishida, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan
Members
  • Mr. Satoshi KATAYOSE, Director, Shogakukan Inc.
  • Ms. Saya SHIRAISHI, Emeritus professor of Tokyo University
  • Mr. Kotaro SUGIYAMA,Chief Creative Officer/Deputy President, Light Publicity Co., Ltd
  • Mr. Frederik L. SCHODT, writer, interpreter, translator
  • Mr. Hiroyasu ANDO, President, Japan Foundation
Jury
President
Ms. Machiko Satonaka (Manga artist)
Members
  • Mr. Yoshimi KURATA (Manga artist)
  • Ms. Kimie SHIGA(Manga artist)
  • Mr. Akira HIROTA (Manga magazine editor)
  • Mr. Tsutomu FUJITA(former Manga magazine editor)
Primary Selection Committee: The Association of MANGA Pubulishers
Members
  • Akita Publishing Co.
  • Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co.
  • Kodansha Ltd.
  • Shueisha Inc.
  • Shogakukan Inc.
  • Shonen-gahosha Co.
  • Shinchosha Publishing Co.
  • Hakusensha Inc.
  • Futabasha Publishers Ltd.
  • Leed Publishing Co.
  • Houbunsha Co.,Ltd.
  • Nihonbungeisha Co.,Ltd.
Past awards
  • The Thirteenth Japan International MANGA Award
  • The Twelfth Japan International MANGA Award
  • The Eleventh Japan International MANGA Award
  • The Tenth Japan International MANGA Award
  • The Ninth Japan International MANGA Award
  • The Eighth Japan International MANGA Award
  • The Seventh Japan International MANGA Award
  • The Sixth Japan International MANGA Award
  • The Fifth Japan International MANGA Award
  • The Fourth Japan International MANGA Award
  • The Third Japan International MANGA Award
  • The Second Japan International MANGA Award
  • The First Japan International MANGA Award
About Japan International MANGA Award Information (Open a new window)