On August 22nd at Anime NYC, a three-day convention hosted in New York City since 2017, the first ever American Manga Awards was held where they announced winners in various categories including “Best New Manga”, “Best Translation”, and “Best Publication Design.”
Full list of nominees and winners can be found below.
The American Manga Awards is presented by LeftField Media, the creators and organizers of Anime NYC. It is co-organized by Japan Society, a leading non-profit organization that has been connecting Japanese arts, culture, language, business, and society with audiences in New York and the world since 1907.
The invitation only-ceremony and reception was held at Japan Society’s Lila Acheson Wallace Auditoriu in Midtown Manhattan.
The inaugral awards ceremony recognized these 8 categories:
- Mangaka Hall of Fame
- Manga Publishing Hall of Fame
- Best New Manga
- Best Continuing Manga Series
- Best New Edition of Classic Manga
- Best Translation
- Best Lettering
- Best Publication Design
The first two awards celebrate lifetime achievements by by individuals who have made significant contributions to manga’s introduction, growth, and creative influence in North America. The Hall of Fame honorees were selected by the American Manga Awards committee.
Two nominating judges, experts in these categories, oversaw Best Translation, Best Lettering, and Best Publication Design. While a committee of five subject matter experts (journalists, librarians, and reviewers) oversaw Best Translation, Best Lettering, and Best Publication Design.
Visit the American Manga Awards website for full eligibility details.
The AMA 2024 nominating judges include: Matt Alt (Translation), Hiroko Yoda (Translation), Nate Piekos (Lettering), Tom Orzechowski (Lettering), Shigekazu Watanabe (Publication Design), Sasha E Head (Publication Design), Brigid Alverson (Publication Design), Shaenon K. Garrity (Manga), Lynzee Loveridge (Manga), Minovsky (Manga), Renee Scott (Manga),
The inaugural recipient of the Manga Publishing Hall of Fame honors was Frederik L. Schodt, who has written many books on manga, anime, and Japanese culture. including Dreamland Japan, Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics, and The Astro Boy Essays. To read Schodt’s full bio, visit the American Manga Awards website.
Manga Publishing Hall of Fame Honoree Frederik L. Schodt (American Manga Awards 2024)
Complete List of Categories, Nominees, and Winners (Italicized)
Nominees for Best New Manga:
Best New Manga Nominees (Source: American Manga Awards)
Best New Manga celebrates the most notable new manga series or one-shots that debuted in English (print or digital) between August 1, 2023 – July 30, 2024.
Nominating judges:
Brigid Alverson, Lynzee Loveridge, Minovsky, Renee Scott, Shaenon Garrity
The Darwin Incident
by Shun Umezawa
Kodansha
Editor: Daniel Joseph
Translator: Cat Anderson
Production: Grace Lu, Pei Ann and Eve Grandt
#DRCL midnight children (WINNER)
by Shin’ichi Sakamoto, based on Bram Stoker’s Dracula
VIZ Media
Editor: Andrew Kuhre Bartosh
Translator: Caleb Cook
Lettering and touch-up: Brendon Hull
Just Like Mona Lisa
by Tsumuji Yoshimura
Square Enix Manga & Books
Editor: Jennifer Sherman
Translator: Leo McDonagh
Lettering: Asher Caswell
Mothers
by Umi Kusahara
Glacier Bay Books
Editor: emuh ruh
Translator: Jocelyne Allen
Lettering: Tim Sun
Soara and the House of Monsters
Hidenori Yamaji
Seven Seas Entertainment
Editor: Shanti Whitesides
Translator: Ben Trethewey
Lettering: Mercedes McGarry
Nominees for Best Continuing Manga Series:
Best Continuing Manga Series spotlights the best ongoing manga published in English that have had at least one new volume (print or digital) released between August 1, 2023 – July 30, 2024.
Nominating judges:
Brigid Alverson, Lynzee Loveridge, Minovsky, Renee Scott, Shaenon Garrity
Blood on the Tracks
by Shuzo Oshimi
Kodansha / Vertical
Editor: Daniel Joseph
Translator: Daniel Komen
Production: Risa Cho, Pei Ann Yeap, Evan Hayden
Delicious in Dungeon (WINNER)
by Ryoko Kui
Yen Press
Editors: Abigail Blackman, Thomas McAlister
Translator: Taylor Engel
Lettering: Abigail Blackman
Dinosaur Sanctuary
by Itaru Kinoshita
Seven Seas Entertainment
Editor: Linda Lombardi
Translation: John Neal
Lettering: JM Iitomi Crandall
She Loves to Cook, She Loves to Eat
by Sakomi Yuzaki
Yen Press
Editors: Won Young Seo, Carl Li, Shalini Arimilli
Translator: Caleb Cook
Lettering: Phil Christie
The Summer Hikaru Died
by mokumokuren
Yen Press
Editors: Fortune Soleil, JuYoun Lee, Abigail Blackman
Translator: Ajani Oloye
Lettering: Abigail Blackman
Nominees for Best New Edition of Classic Manga:
Best New Edition of Classic Manga pays tribute to older manga series or one-shot stories that were originally published in Japan 20 or more years ago (prior to December 31, 2004), and have had at least one new volume in English published between August 1, 2023 – July 30, 2024.
Nominating judges:
Brigid Alverson, Lynzee Loveridge, Minovsky, Renee Scott, Shaenon Garrity
Minami’s Lover
by Shungiku Uchida
Fantagraphics
Editor: Kristy Valenti
Translator: H. Paige
Production: C. Hwang, Paul Baresh
My Name is Shingo
by Kazuo Umezz
VIZ Media
Editor: Joel Enos
Translator: Jocelyne Allen
Adaptation: Molly Tanzer
Lettering: Evan Waldinger
Neighborhood Story (WINNER)
by Ai Yazawa
VIZ Media
Editor: Karla Clark
Translator: Andria McKnight
Touch-up art / lettering: Michelle Pang
Okinawa
by Susumu Higa
Fantagraphics
Editor: Andrew Woodrow-Butcher
Translator: Jocelyne Allen
Lettering: Patrick Crotty, Kayla E.
UFO Mushroom Invasion
by Marina Shirakawa
Living the Line / Smudge
Editor and Translator: Ryan Holmberg
Lettering by Ozzy Von Eschen with Sean Michael Robinson
Essay by Takeo Udagawa
Nominees for Best Translation:
Best Translation celebrates exceptional Japanese-to-English translation and localization work in a new or continuing manga series or one-shot, published between August 1, 2023 – July 30, 2024.
Nominating judges:
Matt Alt, Hiroko Yoda
Stephen Paul
translation for Akane-banashi
by Yuki Suenaga and Takamasa Moue
VIZ Media
Editor: Rae First
John Neal
translation for Bocchi the Rock!
by Aki Hamaji
Yen Press
Editor: Thomas McAlister
David Evelyn
translation for Doll-Kara
by Kazuyoshi Ishii, Hanamura, and Kei Ryuzoji
J-Novel Club
Editor: Zubonjin
Kevin Steinbach
translation for Issak
by Shinji Makari and DOUBLE–S
Kodansha
Editor: Sage Einarsen
Stephen Kohler (WINNER)
translation for Witch Hat Atelier
by Kamome Shirahama
Kodansha
Editor: Haruko Hashimoto
Nominees for Best Lettering:
Best Lettering award recognizes creative excellence in manga lettering in a new or continuing manga series or one-shot published between August 1, 2023 – July 30, 2024.
Nominating judges:
Nate Piekos, Tom Orzechowski
Phil Christie
Lettering and retouch for Search & Destroy Vol. 1
by Atsushi Kaneko, based on Dororo by Osamu Tezuka
Fantagraphics
Editors: Christopher Woodrow-Butcher, Eric Reynolds
Vadim K.
Lettering for They’ll Make a Man Out of You
By Shiwasu no Okina
J18 Publishing
Editors: Dave Adams, David Goldberg
Rebecca Sze
Lettering for Tokyo Interstellar Immigration Vol. 3
by Mado Guchimoto
VAST Visual
Editors: Dave Adams, David Goldberg
Tomoko Saito
Lettering for Blade of the Immortal Deluxe Edition Volume 10
by Hiroaki Samura
Dark Horse
Editor: Philip R. Simon
Deluxe Edition Associate Editor: Judy Khuu
Lys Blakeslee (WINNER)
Lettering for Witch Hat Atelier
by Kamome Shirahama
Kodansha
Editor: Haruko Hashimoto
Nominees for Best Publication Design:
The Best Publication Design award spotlights the best print/digital design work in adapting or creating new covers, title lettering, logos, boxed sets, and more for a new or continuing manga series or one-shot published between August 1, 2023 – July 30, 2024.
Nominating judges:
Sasha Head, Shigekazu Watanabe
Phil Balsman
Initial D Omnibus
by Shuichi Shigeno
Kodansha
Editor: Maggie Le
Lettering: Scott O. Brown
Nicky Lim for Cover Design & Karis Page for Lettering and Interior Design
My Lesbian Experience with Loneliness: Special Edition
by Nagata Kabi
Seven Seas Entertainment
Editor: Jenn Grunigen
Translation: Jocelyn Allen
Adam Grano (WINNER)
My Name Is Shingo
By Kazuo Umezz
VIZ Media
Editor: Joel Enos
Lettering: Evan Waldinger
Nicky Lim & Sandy Grayson – Box Set Design
Orange Complete Box Set
by Ichigo Takano
Seven Seas Entertainment
Editor: Shannon Fay
Lettering: Lys Blakeslee
Andrea Miller
Tokyo Aliens
By Naoe
Square Enix Manga & Books
Editor: Sarah Tangney
Lettering: Bianca Pistillo
