CFE: Japan International Manga Award

The Consulate General of Japan have announced that they are accepting entries for the 12th Japan International Manga Award. Here's the press release:

Greetings from the Consulate General of Japan in Detroit.

We are pleased to announce that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japan Foundation have launched the twelfth annual Japan International #MANGA Award competition and have begun accepting entries. 

The Japan International MANGA Award was established in May 2007 upon the initiative of then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Taro Aso, with the aim of recognizing manga creators who contribute to the spread of manga culture overseas and international cultural exchanges through manga. The award has been presented every year since then.

Among entries, the gold award will be given to the best work of art and the silver awards to three other excellent works of art. 

These awardees will be invited to Japan by the Japan Foundation to attend an award ceremony. During their stay in Japan (generally 10 days,) they will have the opportunity to exchange ideas with Japanese manga creators, visit publishing companies and take excursions to local sites. 

The application period will run through June 15th, 2018 and entries must be sent to your nearest Japanese Consulate/Embassy or to the P.O. Box of the Twelfth International MANGA Award. Additional details and application guidelines can be found at the web site of The Japan International MANGA Award. 

For details on last year’s Japan International MANGA Award, please see the following sites: 11th Manga Award Winners and Visit to Japan by MANGA award winners.

Please feel free to promote this competition widely.

Sincere regards,

Mizuki Eguchi (Ms.)

Culture, Education, Public Affairs

Consulate General of Japan in Detroit

400 Renaissance Center, Suite 1600

Detroit, MI 48243

TEL: 313-567-0120 (ext. 226)

Website: http://www.detroit.us.emb-japan.go.jp/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cgj.detroit

For more information and how to apply, visit www.manga-award.mofa.go.jp/index_e.html

Hugos

For the first time this year, the Hugo Awards have a category for "Best Graphic Story." The nominees were announced last month; and in the Graphic Story category, the nominees are:

• The Dresden Files: Welcome to the Jungle Written by Jim Butcher, art by Ardian Syaf (Del Rey/Dabel Brothers Publishing)
• Girl Genius, Volume 8: Agatha Heterodyne and the Chapel of Bones Written by Kaja & Phil Foglio, art by Phil Foglio, colors by Cheyenne Wright (Airship Entertainment)
• Fables: War and Pieces Written by Bill Willingham, pencilled by Mark Buckingham, art by Steve Leialoha and Andrew Pepoy, color by Lee Loughridge, letters by Todd Klein (DC/Vertigo Comics)
• Schlock Mercenary: The Body Politic Story and art by Howard Tayler (The Tayler Corporation)
• Serenity: Better Days Written by Joss Whedon & Brett Matthews, art by Will Conrad, color by Michelle Madsen, cover by Jo Chen (Dark Horse Comics)
• Y: The Last Man, Volume 10: Whys and Wherefores Written/created by Brian K. Vaughan, penciled/created by Pia Guerra, inked by Jose Marzan, Jr. (DC/Vertigo Comics)

My pick out of these would be the final volume of Y, the Last Man. The winners for all of the Hugo Awards will be announced August 6 at WorldCon in Montreal.