#Anime NYC & Japan Society Host 1st American Manga Awards on August 22

Anime NYC and Japan Society have announced the launch of the first-ever American Manga Awards, set to take place on August 22, 2024 at the Japan Society in New York City right before this year’s Anime NYC convention.

The inaugural American Manga Awards will celebrate the outstanding achievements of professionals in the world of Japanese comics, who have made significant contributions to manga’s popularity, both in North America and Japan. 

📚 INTRODUCING THE AMERICAN MANGA AWARDS 📚

Set to take place at the @JapanSociety in New York on August 22, the @MangaAwardsUSA will celebrate the outstanding achievements of professionals in the world of Japanese comics.

✒️ Learn more at https://t.co/31kdgRHAN4 pic.twitter.com/AosdZMXBwD

— Anime NYC (@animenyc) June 3, 2024

The American Manga Awards will also feature multiple categories including: 

• • Best New Manga
• • Best Continuing Manga Series
• • Best Translation
• • Best Lettering
• • Best Publication Design
• • Best New Edition of Classic Manga
• • Mangaka Hall of Fame
• • Manga Publishing Hall of Fame

Nominees will be selected by a panel of subject matter experts and luminaries in the world of Japanese comics.

Best Translation nominees will be selected by translators and authors Matt Alt (Pure Invention: How Japan’s Pop Culture Influenced the World) and Hiroko Yoda (Yokai Attack!, Eight Million Ways to Happiness).

Best Lettering nominees will be vetted by comics lettering pros Tom Orzechowski (Uncanny X-Men) and Nate Piekos (Blambot font foundry, and author of The Essential Guide to Comics Lettering). 

Best Publication Design nominees will be chosen by Kinokuniya Bookstores East Coast Regional Manager Shigekazu Watanabe and publication designer Sasha Head.

Best New Manga, Best Continuing Manga and Best New Edition of Classic Manga nominees will be picked by comics journalists Brigid Alverson of ICv2 and School Library Journal, Lynzee Loveridge of Anime News Network, Shaennon Garrity of Otaku USA and Publishers Weekly, manga influencer Minovsky (known as @MinovskyArticle on Twitter), and New York Public Library Senior Librarian in Young Adult Services, Renee Scott.

I am over the moon to be a judge! Thank you for having me for the first annual American Manga Awards in NYC! https://t.co/86ufHgrddT

— Lynzee Loveridge 🏳️‍🌈 (@ANN_Lynzee) June 3, 2024

The nominees for the manga, translation, lettering and publication design categories will be announced later this July. The winners will be determined by votes received from professionals working in an editorial capacity with North American manga publishers, who have either registered to vote via the American Manga Awards website, or have been invited to vote by the American Manga Awards planning committee.

In addition, the American Manga Awards Hall of Fame will honor Japanese manga creators and manga publishing professionals that have made significant contributions to the growth and popularity of manga in America. The first recipient will be Frederik L. Schodt, translator and author of Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics, one of the first books in English that explored manga’s history, creativity and legendary creators.

The American Manga Awards planning committee is led by manga industry veteran Deb Aoki, comics journalist with Publishers Weekly and Comics Beat, and co-host of the Mangasplaining podcast. The ceremony will be hosted by accomplished author, translator, and presenter Matt Alt.

Very proud to work w/ @animenyc & @japansociety NY to launch the first @MangaAwardsUSA! See the announcement on @PublishersWkly: https://t.co/9bImqfeU9Z https://t.co/zfqQswn6mm

— Deb Aoki (@debaoki) June 3, 2024

The awards ceremony will be held during an invite-only ceremony for manga industry professionals and press at Japan Society’s landmarked headquarters located at 333 East 47th Street, one block from the United Nations. The ceremony will be held in conjunction with Anime NYC 2024, which will take place at the Javits Center from August 23, 2024 to August 25, 2024. 

Submissions for the American Manga Awards are now open, with detailed guidelines and entry instructions available on Anime NYC’s website. More information and announcements about the awards are also available on the Manga Awards’ official Twitter account. 

Source: Publisher’s Weekly, press release