Following last month’s announcement of the first inaugural American Manga Awards event, the full list of nominees has been revealed. The nominees span six of the eight main categories, including Best New Manga, Best Continuing Manga Series, Best New Edition of Classic Manga, Best Translation, Best Lettering and Best Publication Design. 30 nominees have been revealed in total. On top of that, it was announced that translator and author Frederik L. Schodt (Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics) will be the first recipient of the Manga Publishing Hall of Fame Award for his contributions to the growth and popularity of manga in America. There will also be a Mangaka Hall of Fame award granted to a notable Japanese manga creator.Let’s take a look at the nominees for six key categories:
Best New Manga
The Darwin Incidentby Shun UmezawaPublisher: KodanshaEditor: Daniel JosephTranslator: Cat Anderson
#DRCL midnight childrenby Shin’ichi Sakamoto, based on Bram Stoker’s DraculaPublisher: VIZ MediaEditor: Andrew Kuhre BartoshTranslator: Caleb Cook
Just Like Mona Lisaby Tsumuji YoshimuraPublisher: Square Enix Manga & BooksEditor: Jennifer ShermanTranslator: Leo McDonagh
Mothersby Kusahara UmiPublisher: Glacier Bay BooksEditor: emuh ruhTranslator: Jocelyne AllenLettering: Tim Sun
Soara and the House of Monstersby Hidenori YamajiPublisher: Seven Seas EntertainmentEditor: Shanti WhitesidesTranslator: Ben TretheweyLettering: Mercedes McGarry
Best Continuing Manga Series
Blood on the Tracksby Shuzo OshimiPublisher: Kodansha / VerticalEditor: Daniel JosephTranslator: Daniel Komen
Delicious in Dungeonby Ryoko KuiPublisher: Yen PressEditors: Abigail Blackman, Thomas McAlisterTranslator: Taylor Engel
Dinosaur Sanctuaryby Itaru KinoshitaPublisher: Seven Seas EntertainmentEditor: Linda LombardiTranslation: John NealLettering: JM Iitomi Crandall
She Loves to Cook, She Loves to Eatby Sakomi YuzakiPublisher: Yen PressEditors: Won Young Seo, Carl LiTranslator: Caleb Cook
The Summer Hikaru Diedby mokumokurenPublisher: Yen PressEditors: Fortune Soleil, JuYoun Lee, Abigail BlackmanTranslator: Ajani Oloye
Best New Edition of Classic Manga Series
Minami’s Loverby Shungiku UchidaPublisher: FantagraphicsEditor: Kristy ValentiTranslator: H. Paige
My Name is Shingoby Kazuo UmezzPublisher: VIZ MediaEditor: Joel EnosTranslator: Jocelyne AllenAdaptation: Molly Tanzer
Neighborhood Storyby Ai YazawaPublisher: VIZ MediaEditor: Karla ClarkTranslator: Andria McKnight
Okinawaby Susumu HigaPublisher: FantagraphicsEditor: Andrew Woodrow-ButcherTranslator: Jocelyne Allen
UFO Mushroom Invasionby Marina ShirakawaPublisher: Living the Line / SmudgeEditor: Ryan HolmbergTranslator: Ryan Holmberg
Best Translation
Stephen Paultranslation for Akane-banashiby Yuki Suenaga and Takamasa MouePublisher: VIZ MediaEditor: Rae First
John Nealtranslation for Bocchi the Rock!by Aki HamajiPublisher: Yen PressEditor: Thomas McAlister
David Evelyntranslation for Doll-Karaby Kazuyoshi Ishii, Hanamura, and Kei RyuzojiPublisher: J-Novel ClubEditor: Zubonjin
Kevin Steinbachtranslation for Issakby Shinji Makari and DOUBLE–S and Shinji MakariPublisher: KodanshaEditor: Sage Einarsen
Stephen Kohlertranslation for Witch Hat Atelierby Kamome ShirahamaPublisher: KodanshaEditor: Haruko Hashimoto
Best Lettering
Tomoko Saitolettering and retouch for Blade of the Immortal Deluxe Edition Volume 10by Hiroaki SamuraPublisher: Dark HorseEditor: Philip R. Simon Deluxe Edition Associate Editor: Judy Khuu
Phil Christielettering and retouch for Search & Destroy Vol. 1by Atsushi Kaneko, based on Dororo by Osamu TezukaPublisher: FantagraphicsEditors: Christopher Woodrow-Butcher, Eric Reynolds
Vadim K.lettering for They’ll Make a Man Out of Youby Shiwasu no OkinaPublisher: J18 PublishingEditors: Dave Adams, David Goldberg
Lys Blakesleelettering for Witch Hat Atelierby Kamome ShirahamaPublisher: KodanshaEditor: Haruko Hashimoto
Rebecca S.lettering for Tokyo Interstellar Immigration vol. 3by Mado GuchimotoPublisher: VAST VisualEditors: Dave Adams, David Goldberg
Best Publication Design
Phil Balsmandesign for Initial D Omnibusby Shuichi ShigenoPublisher: KodanshaEditor: Maggie Le
Nicky Lim, cover design and Karis Page, lettering and interior designMy Lesbian Experience with Loneliness: Special Editionby Nagata KabiPublisher: Seven Seas EntertainmentEditor: Jenn GrunigenTranslation: Jocelyn Allen
Adam Granodesign for My Name Is Shingoby Kazuo UmezzPublisher: VIZ MediaEditor: Joel Enos
Nicky Lim and Sandy Graysonbox set design for Orange Complete Box Setby Ichigo TakanoPublisher: Seven Seas EntertainmentEditor: Shannon FayLettering: Lys Blakeslee
Andrea Millercover design for Tokyo Aliensby NAOEPublisher: Square Enix Manga & BooksEditor: Sarah TangneyLettering: Bianca Pistillo
The American Manga Awards committee is responsible for selecting Hall of Fame nominees, while the other categories have a selection of professionals working in an editorial capacity with North American manga publishers in charge of determining the winners. Nominee selection fell to “subject matter experts in manga, Japanese-to-English translation, lettering, and publication design.” Those who chose nominees for the Best New Manga, Best Continuing Manga and Best New Edition of Classic Manga categories include Brigid Alverson (ICv2, School Library Journal), Lynzee Loveridge (Anime News Network), Shaennon Garrity (Otaku USA, Publishers Weekly), Minovsky (@MinovskyArticle on X/Twitter) and Renee Scott (New York Public Library Senior Librarian – Young Adult Services).Matt Alt (American Manga Awards host and Pure Invention: How Japan’s Pop Culture Influenced the World author) and Hiroko Yoda (Yokai Attack! co-author) selected the nominees for the Best Translation category. Comics lettering pros Tom Orzechowski (Uncanny X-Men) and Nate Piekos (The Essential Guide to Comics Lettering) selected the Best Lettering nominees. Finally, Kinokuniya Bookstores East Coast Regional Manager Shigekazu Watanabe and publication designer Sasha Head chose nominees for the Best Publication Design category.The American Manga Awards—a collaboration between Anime NYC creators and organizers LeftField Media and the non-profit Japan Society organization—will be held on Thursday, August 22, 2024, just prior to the start of Anime NYC.Source: Press Release
