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Dr. Stone, Age 12, More Win 64th Shogakukan Manga Awards

The judging committee of the 64th Shogakukan Manga Awards announced this year's winners on Monday. Each winning title will be honored with a bronze statuette and a prize of 1 million yen (about US$9,000).

Best Children's Manga

12-Sai. (Age 12)
Nao Maita
Serialized in Ciao (Shogakukan)
The story begins with Hanabi, a sixth-grade girl who is neither an adult nor a child. She deals with issues such as accidentally witnessing her homeroom teacher kissing, and worrying about experiencing physiological changes before her friends. The manga depicts a 12-year-old girl's innocent worries and first love.

Maita launched the manga in Ciao in 2012, and Shogakukan published the 15th volume on August 1. The manga inspired an original video anime (OVA) in 2014, followed by a second OVA in 2015. The manga then inspired a television anime in 2016 with a second season that same year.

Best Shōnen Manga

Dr. Stone
Riichirou Inagaki and Boichi
Serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump (Shueisha)
One fateful day, all of humanity was petrified by a blinding flash of light. After several millennia, high schooler Taiju awakens and finds himself lost in a world of statues. However, he's not alone! His science-loving friend Senku's been up and running for a few months and he's got a grand plan in mind—to kickstart civilization with the power of science!

Boichi (Sun-Ken Rock) and Inagaki (author of Eyeshield 21) launched the manga in Weekly Shonen Jump in 2017. Shueisha published the eighth volume on December 4. Viz Media is releasing the manga in English. The series is inspiring a television anime adaptation that will premiere in July 2019.

Best Shōjo Manga

Suteki na Kareshi (Where's my lovely sweetheart?)
Kazune Kawahara
Serialized in Bessatsu Margaret (Shueisha)
Nonoka has one romantic wish: to watch the New Year's Eve countdown with her boyfriend. She's run into one hiccup, it's December and she still hasn't met anyone despite making her big high school debut. What's Nonoka to do?

Kawahara launched the manga in Bessatsu Margaret in 2016. Shueisha released the eighth volume on November 22.

Best General Manga

Hibiki: Shōsetsuka ni Naru Hōhō
Mitsuharu Yanamoto
Serialized in Big Comic Superior (Shogakukan)
In the manga's story, a handwritten novel manuscript is sent into a rookie contest, but it doesn't meet the conditions and is thrown in the trash. Still, an editor named Hanai picks it up by chance and believes it is a revolutionary novel. The author's name is Hibiki Akui, but there is no contact address on the submission. Meanwhile, Hibiki – a 15-year-old student – joins her school's literary club, not knowing that Hanai is trying to track her down.

Yanamoto launched the manga in Big Comic Superior in 2014, and Shogakukan released the 10th volume on August 30. The series inspired a live-action film that opened on September 14.

Kenkō de Bunkateki na Saitei Gendo no Seikatsu
Haruko Kashiwagi
Serialized in Weekly Big Comic Spirits (Shogakukan)
The manga follows Emiru Yoshitsune, who is hired as a government worker right after graduation, and is assigned to the welfare office. As a case worker, she works protecting the livelihood of citizens, but she must come face to face with those who live in poverty.

Kashiwagi launched the manga in Weekly Big Comic Spirits in 2014, and Shogakukan published the manga's seventh volume on August 30. The manga inspired a live-action television series adaptation that premiered on July 17.

This year's judging committee included Kumiko Asou, Mitsuyo Kakuta, Eiji Kazama, Genki Kawamura, Kazuhiko Shimamoto, Bourbon Kobayashi, Fujihiko Hosono, and seven others.

Shogakukan has been awarding this prize since 1956 (for works published in 1955). Last year's winners included PriPri Chi-chan!!, The Promised Neverland, Omoi, Omoware, Furi, Furare, Kūbo Ibuki, and After the Rain.

Sources: Shogakukan Comic, Comic Natalie