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14th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize Nominees Announced
posted on by Egan Loo
The Asahi Shimbun paper has announced the six nominees for the 14th Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize on Saturday. The awards commemorate the contributions of the manga pioneer Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy/Mighty Atom, Kimba the White Lion/Jungle Emperor, Phoenix, Black Jack) by recognizing the manga that best follow his tradition.
This year's nominating committee — which includes manga creator Gō Nagai, manga creator Keiko Takemiya, novelist Shion Miura, essayists, and university professors — selected from among the works that were published from January to December of 2009. The newspaper awards a 2-million-yen (about US$20,000) Manga Grand Prize along with a statuette of Tezuka's Mighty Atom character. In addition, 1 million yen (US$10,000) goes to each of the winners of the New Artist Prize, Short Work Prize, and the Special Prize every year. The winners will be announced in the middle of April, and the actual awards presentation ceremony will take place on May 28.
Imuri
Ranjō Miyake
Enterbrain
Kamurobamura-e
Mikio Igarashi
Shogakukan
Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni
Fumiyo Kōno
Futabasha
Himawari - Kenichi Legend
Akiko Higashimura
Kodansha
Hyouge Mono - Tea for Universe, Tea for Life
Yoshihiro Yamada
Kodansha
Ushijima the Loan Shark
Shohei Manabe
Kodansha
Yamada's Hyouge Mono was previously nominated for the 11th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize, and Manabe's Ushijima the Loan Shark was nominated for the 12th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. Another work of Kono, Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry Blossoms, was nominated for the 9th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize.
Imuri, Kono Sekai no Katasumi ni , and Hyouge Mono all won Excellence Prizes in the 13th Japan Media Arts Festival Awards in December. In the same awards competition, Kamurobamura-e earned a place among the Jury Recommended Works.
Update: More background information added.
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