Golden Kamuy Wins 22nd Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize's Top Award

The Asahi Shimbun paper announced the winners for the 2nd Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize awards on Tuesday.

Grand Prize
Golden Kamuy
Satoru Noda
Shueisha
A soldier who was famous for his prowess in the Russo-Japanese War now heads to Hokkaido for the gold rush for a certain purpose. In search of a vast treasure hidden by the Ainu people, he faces criminals and the overwhelming power of mother nature. There, he meets an Ainu girl who saves his life.
This year marks Golden Kamuy's third nomination and first win.

New Creator Prize
Paru Itagaki
BEASTARS
Akita Shoten
The manga takes place in a world of carnivores and herbivores, where there is a lot of hope, love, and anxiety. Regoshi is a wolf who is a member of Cherryton Academy's drama club, and even though he's a wolf, he's very sensitive. The manga follows the adolescent life of Regoshi and many other animals.

Short Work Prize
Oya-san to Boku
Tarō Yabe
Shinchosha
The manga is based on the author's real life experiences with his landlady. Oya-san to Boku is Yabe's debut manga. He is best known as part of the comedy duo Karateka.
The committee also awarded the Special Prize to Tetsuya Chiba (Ashita no Joe) for his contributions to manga culture over the years. Shogakukan published the first compiled volume for Chiba's Hinemasu Notari Nikki in January — the manga launched in December 2015 as Chiba's first series in 18 years.


Asahi Shimbun will host an awards ceremony in Tokyo on June 7.

This year's committee – consisting of actress Anne Watanabe; author Kazuki Sakuraba; manga creators Osamu Akimoto, Machiko Satonaka and Tarō Minamoto; professor and scholar Shōhei Chūjō; manga editor Haruyuki Nakano; manga critic Nobunaga Shinbo; and author and manga researcher Tomoko Yamada – selected ten nominees from titles recommended by specialists and bookstore employees. To be eligible, the manga had to have had a compiled volume published in 2017. Akimoto is a new judge for this year.

Last year, eight titles were nominated, and Fusako Kuramochi's Hana ni Somu won the Grand Prize. Haruko Kumota's Shōwa Genroku Rakugo Shinjū won the New Creator prize. Kaoru Fukaya's Yomawari Neko won the Short Work Prize.