Reported by Isao Tokuhashi
Mail to: itokuhashi@myeyestokyo.com
Do you know the “Nobel Prize for Manga”?
The International MANGA Award was set up in 2007 with a desire of Mr. Taro Aso, then Foreign Minister. Mr. Aso thought, “We want to give the ‘Nobel Prize for Manga’ as people from its birthplace to the young standard-bearers of Manga abroad”
In 2016, they marked the 9th anniversary of the award. 259 works were submitted from 46 countries. The ceremony, which was held at Iikura Guest House on February 26, honored 14 best works, 3 nominees awarded the Silver Award and 1 nominee awarded the Gold Award.
Ms. Miki Yamada, Parliamentary Vice-Minister, gave an opening address on behalf of Mr. Fumio Kishida, Foreign Minister/Executive Committee Chairperson of the award.
“Now manga is loved by people from different countries/areas, people with different cultural backgrounds, people of all generations as a tool for expression of many different visions of the world. We want the world to know about the diverse values of manga more and the past award winners have been playing important roles around the globe as the ‘Evangelists of manga’ and our friends”.
Then the winners were announced.
Silver Award
DEMO＃1 vol.1
Mr. ROCKAT (Taiwan)
Holy Dragon Imperator
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong & Nguyen Khanh Duong (Vietnam)
Ichthyophobia
Mr. Li Lung-chieh (Taiwan)
Gold Award
The Divine
Mr. Asaf Hanuka, Mr. Tomer Hanuka & Mr. Boaz Lavie (Israel)
Ms. Machiko Satonaka, manga artist/Chairperson of the Jury of the Award said;
“What I felt is ‘Manga goes beyond national borders’. There are various countries/areas on Earth and each person has his/her own history and value, but narrativity of manga and how characters of manga feel touch people’s hearts in a universal way. What a man feels sad makes people in any country feel sad. Also what a man feels happy makes people in any country feel happy. I thought that a work written by an author would be able to move the hearts of the people from all over the world no matter where he/she is from.”
After the ceremony, a party was held. Each winner expressed a piece of his mind after a toast by Ms. Miki Yamada.
Mr. Asaf Hanuka & Mr. Boaz Lavie (Israel)
“The story of our prize-winning work is based on a real story of Burmese twins. They organized kids’ guerrilla group when they were 12 in the end of ‘90s. We wish that people would get interested in the child soldier issue and their tragic situation of fighting for the sake of their lives and freedom will become a thing of the past through our work.”
Mr. ROCKAT (Taiwan)
“What I depict in my works is that young men who were born in ‘80s are saved by many people after battles against harsh reality. And I’m a man who was born in ‘80s and saved by manga. I give thanks that we have it.”
Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phong (Vietnam)
“Thank you very much for giving me the chance to tell people about Vietnamese culture and history through my works. I believe that manga itself is the language and the cultural bridge which reduces distances between countries.”
Mr. Li Lung-chieh (Taiwan)
“I was highly praised by the International MANGA Award and could be a kind of the cultural bridge in the name of the cultural exchange. It must provide me the strength to keep going.”
Winners visited publishers, animation studios, manga museums in Japan and went back home.
Related Links
International Manga Award
English: www.mofa.go.jp/press/release/press4e_001040.html
日本語: www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/gaiko/culture/koryu/pop/manga/
*Edited by Daniel Penso
校正協力：ダニエル・ペンソ
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