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Thailand's Super Dunker Wins 3rd Int'l Manga Award

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan has announced the winner and runners-up of its Third International Manga Awards on Tuesday. Thai creator Jakraphan Huaypetch (a.k.a. Ton Huaypetch) won the top award for the basketball story Super Dunker. The story follows a boy named Toto who lives with his father on a small island. One day, he meets a U.S. National Basketball Association player named Rocky when Rocky's airplane develops trouble and arrives at the island. Rocky ends up teaching Toto how to dunk and master other elements of the sport. Super Dunker is the debut work of Huaypetch, who was inspired by Akira Toriyama's Dragon Ball manga to draw.

China's Huang Jia-Wei and France's Morvan (Zaya), France's Melvil Corveyran (Natty), Korea's Kim Jea-Eon (Running on Empty) won awards of excellence or Silver Awards. America's Jhomar Soriano (Arkham Woods), Brazil's Rafaella Ryon (Pequena Loja dos Horrores), Sweden's Yosh (Beneath the Surface), China's Zhang Xiaoyu (Ma Sheng), and Thailand's Pongpat Petcharat (400-Arthamart Regiment) received awards for honorable mention. Prolific translator and manga scholar Frederik L. Schodt will receive a special award for his contributions to the field of Japanese manga.

International Manga Award

Jakraphan Huaypetch
Super Dunker

Awards of Excellence

Huang Jia-Wei, Morvan
Zaya


Melvil Corveyran
Natty


Kim Jea-Eon
Running on Empty


An awards ceremony and reception will be held on December 4, and Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada is scheduled to present the trophies to the awardees. Over the next ten days, the honorees will also meet with Japanese manga artists, publishers, and other figures in the Japanese manga field.

This year's judges were Machiko Satonaka (Lady Ann), Monkey Punch (Lupin III), Takao Yaguchi (Tsurikichi Sampei), Teruo Miyahara (former Weekly Shōnen Magazine editor-in-chief), and Yoriaki Yakubo (former Weekly Shonen Sunday editor-in-chief). A total of 303 entries were submitted from 55 countries. 222 entries from 22 countries were submitted during the first year of the awards, and 368 entries from 46 countries were submitted during the second year.

Hono Kong's Lau Wan Kit won last year's top award for feel. 100%. Another Hong Kong artist, 43-year-old Lee Chi Ching, won the first International Manga Award in 2007 for his Sun Zi's Tactics comic series. Former Japanese Foreign Minister Tarō Asō, a self-professed manga fan, announced the creation of the awards in May of 2007.

Source: Sports Hochi

Update: More background information added.