It feels like 2012 took me in like a tornado. I spent the first week thrown into the fray of work and my lungs were hacking a lot more than what I inhale. That said, the year has started to calm down and I am more than pleased to see the nominees for Manga Taishou this year.
Last year, it felt like there were clear winners among the nominees. While I felt that the horse-riding bride of Otoyomegatari (A Bride’s Story) will be shooting straight for the coveted prize, Sangatsu no Lion seemed to have played the right pieces last year and took the prize home.
This year’s nominees is quite an interesting set. For one, I can’t seem to distinguish who will take the Manga Taishou home. More so, it seems that there are brave soldiers who are still fighting for this prestigious prize.
The Repeaters
I was surprised that among the said 216 titles reviewed for the prize, there were some who managed to make it again in the list. It’s as if these titles are brave fighters who keep on pushing their story forward just to win the Manga Taishou. I think these brave titles have a good shot at winning. After all, one of them has been nominated thrice.
I am a Hero by Kengo Hanazawa
I actually read this title this year and I was particularly impressed with the amazing detail of the artist and the growing complexity of this zombie apocalypse. I will confess that I haven’t read far and I haven’t read what makes this manga deserving of this third nomination. I do understand why this title makes manga gold.
Drifters by Kouta Hirano
Most of us probably remember Kouta Hirano for Hellsing. Drifters might just be his next international fandom hit. As a story that taps historical heroes and misfits being sent to another world to save it from destruction, this story is a beautiful execution of those crossovers and AUs that have been sprawling in fandom’s imagination. For a man who understands what fans love (Hirano’s quite active in doujin projects), this is a story that we can’t miss again.
The New Blood
And like every year, there are new titles that appear among the nominees. I’m not saying they are new titles. More like, we haven’t seen them in the list before and they’re making enough waves among manga readers that they probably deserve a shot in winning the prize. Without thinking of the prize, I still think they’re good additions for one’s manga reading list! Among the nominees, here are my picks.
Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu by Haruko Kumota
I just love it when BL mangaka get acclaim for their non-BL work. I think I’ve shared with the world this excitement with my spotlights on Fumi, Ono, and Asumiko, thus this nomination for Haruko Kumota is something that makes me giggle. I will confess that I have not read it. In saying that, I will say that I trust Haruko Kumota as a writer and as such, I believe this story will be quite a fascinating read. It involves an ex-prisoner who tries his shot in performing rakugo under a difficult master. Rakugo is a lot more than just being a comic story teller. I can trust in Kumota to portray this comedic trade with the same elegance and flair that it really has in real life.
Takasugi-sanchi no Obento by Nozomi Yanahara
My professor actually recommended this to me saying that this was our life captured in a manga. It speaks of this professor who is buried under piles of work only to find himself taking care of his cousin. As a dude, his bento skills are pathetic but his cousin somehow manages to find some ways to make a pleasant bento for both of them. While I do make bento with my professor, I still don’t understand what he meant and I am rather amused that I haven’t made a hijiki bento. This manga is a heartwarming story though. And I’m hoping it doesn’t make the Usagi Drop twist towards the end.
Aku no Hana by Oshimi Shuuzo
I know nothing of this title apart from it being licensed by Vertical. That said, it appears to be a dark story of a girl blackmailing a guy for stealing a girl’s trainers. Because it was handpicked by Vertical, I can trust in them that their selection will be quite a treat and will probably impress us. Also, I wonder if they’re keeping these odd covers. I was quite surprised by them. Like a strange yet honest confessional. Looking at images online remind me that it’s similar to Nana to Kaoru, but it actually looks better executed.
Getenrou by Ishiguro Masakazu
This manga’s summary reminds me of Tatami Galaxy where a particular apartment contains a twisted mystery. It isn’t one of those strange tales that might or might not be endearing. I haven’t read this but the summary is good enough to lure me in. With one volume, I’m not risking a lot.
Silver Spoon by Hiromu Arakawa
This is probably the most familiar title among fans simply because this was written by the girl who did FMA. While I do understand that she has a knack for story, I’m hoping that it isn’t because of her skills that she’s been nominated for a Taishou as well. Silver Spoon is an interesting story about a city boy turned farm boy. It reminds me a little like Moyashimon but with a bit of city arrogance and idiocy that sometimes makes me raise an eyebrow. But it seems these farming antics illicit the spirit of “youth” that fans adore it like it’s the best food manga ever created… right. As long as they don’t hear the vegetables singing, I think it won’t be the best food manga for me. But it does have its merit… just not as good as what the others have to offer.
Tonari no Seki-kun by Takuma Morishige
This has been in my manga radar but I’ve never had the chance to buy it. From what I’ve seen people talk about it online, it’s about this girl and her strange seatmate who seems to be either a genius or a savant, playing games on his desk the entire day. It looks funny and if it’s in the list, then this romantic comedy is something worth looking at.
Nobunaga Kyousoukyoku by Ayumi Ishii
When a teenage boy timeslips and becomes Oda Nobunaga and becomes aware of what he should do to keep history yet is conflicted by what he should be doing as a person makes a great alternate historical story for me. I haven’t read this, but I’d love to get my hands on this. It’s one of those “What If?” moments where will we change history or will we change our destiny stories. Brilliant story and I want this in my life right now.
I will confess that I hardly know a good percent of these stories and I am more drawn by the covers of those that may look interesting such as Dai Tokyo Toy Box, Hibi Rock, and 25ji no Vacance.
15 titles out of 216 is quite a feat and thank god I’m not in the screening committee of the Manga Taishou because if I had to choose one out of all of these, I might break my heart. That said, I wouldn’t mind reading 216 titles to cross 15 great mangas like this.
Wonderful blog. I am also interested in manga but there are criminally few English-language blogs treating the Japanese scene. I have been learning Japanese for some time now, and have been purchasing manga from bk1, but it’s still far easier for me to read in English.
Regarding Manga Taishou, my pick would be I Am a Hero, because this is its last chance to win the award and I think it’s one of the best titles currently running. But there might be some other indications, because the bookstore clerks annually choose the best manga titles for Otonafami, and they also make a significant part of Kono manga ga sugoi! voting system.
Otonafami:
01. Hunter x Hunter
02. Drifters
03. Houzuki no reitetsu
04. Sangatsu no lion
05. Again!!
06. Silver Spoon
07. Getenrou
08. Shouwa genroku rakugo shinjuu
09. Ao no exorcist
10. Gurazeni
And, in Kono manga ga sugoi!, Silver Spoon and Hoozuki no reitetsu got the highest number of votes in men’s category from the bookstore staff (Drifters was not eligible due to its late publication date). So, I would say those three titles has the biggest chance of winning.
Thanks for the comments!Â
I must confess that I don’t tap the Japanese scene as much as I tend to really look at the scene when I see things that interest me (the rest really go into my research dump file). The Japanese manga scene does need some exposure so that fans abroad can contextualize why particular manga are being appreciated and sold in Japan. Bk1 pretty much saves us, doesn’t it? 😀 That’s where I chiefly get my manga from. ;w;Â
I am not so familiar with Otonafami or the Kono Manga wa Sugoi system (although I really do love the selection chosen by the Kono Manga wa Sugoi!). If you have a blog or perhaps you can share to me how this system goes, we can publish it here (or I can link to your blog) and tell folks more about it and why these are reputable sources for what’s up and coming in Manga. I’m quite sure fans would love to hear about it. I would!Â
Wooow! I didn’t even think about Hoozuki no Reitetsu (it was totally out of my radar.) Now I’m curious about it. And OMG, I still wonder why Hunter x Hunter is there. Is it nostalgia? That great longing for their youth to wrap up? I am perplexed as to why Japanese are so hung over Hunter x Hunter given that the author hardly has the enthusiasm to even keep the manga running. OTL.Â
Yes, bk1 is the best option money-wise for all of us living abroad.
I indeed have a blog, but it’s not in English and I don’t have time to update it frequently. Anyway, here it is:
http://strahoslovo.blogspot.com/
On the other hand, I can share with you here any info as you suggested whenever I find time for that.
Hoozuki no reitetsu is interesting indeed. It’s about the daily activities of Hoozuki (Ghostlamp or Demonlamp), who is a bureaucrat in Buddhist Hell.
And HxH is a mystery to me… It has charm, but I’ve read only the first couple of volumes so I don’t know what these new ones are about (except the short review in Kono Manga ga Sugoi!).
The nominees just made me depressed that the majority of these manga aren’t even localized and most likely won’t be for a long time.Â
Anyway I’m guessing that I am a Hero is gonna win it. Third times the charm and all of that
I hope so. I haven’t read far and only managed to reach until Vol. 4. That said, I’m very impressed! I can only wonder what it still has to pull from its list.Â
Hi.
I like your blog very much.I stumbled across it one day and it was mind blowingly interesting!You’re doing research on manga right?I never knew such a career existed!
Among the ones you’ve listed,I’m only familiar with Silver Spoon,even that I dropped after one chapter coz I found it kinda boring.
Thanks for your kind words on my blog and it’s really more of Japanese studies. Manga seems to be just one of many ways where manga is explored.Â
And that’s quite unfortunate that you didn’t enjoy Silver Spoon. It is of a different pace in comparison to FMA. I started reading it and it was all right. Nothing exceptional to fawn over, in my opinion. It is still an interesting read, for me.Â