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Weekly Shonen Jump’s latest breakout hit Kagurabachi, written by Takeru Hokazono, has been nominated for the prestigious 70th Shogakukan Manga Award.
This marks yet another accolade for the manga, which recently won the Next Manga Award in the print category and is set to receive an anime adaptation by CygamesPictures.
The Shogakukan Manga Award, established in 1955, is one of Japan’s oldest and most respected manga awards. It recognizes outstanding works published in magazines, collected volumes, and online platforms from Jan 1, 2024, onward.
The winners are selected through a comprehensive evaluation process involving manga artists, critics, editors, cultural organizations, booksellers, and general readers.
Alongside Kagurabachi, 11 other works have been nominated:
- Uruwashi no Yoi no Tsuki by Mika Yamamori (Dessert)
- Kujo no Taizai by Shohei Manabe (Big Comic Spirits)
- The Apothecary Diaries (Yakuyaku no Hitorigoto) by Natsu Hyuga (Story), Minoji Kurata (Art), and Touko Shino (Character Design) (Monthly Sunday GX)
- Kore Kaite Shine by Minoru Toyoda (Gessan)
- Burning Kabaddi (Shakunetsu Kabaddi) by Hajime Musashino (MangaONE)
- Natsume Arata no Kekkon by Tarou Nogizaka (Big Comic Superior)
- Puniru wa Kawaii Slime by Maedakun (Weekly CoroCoro Comic)
- Black Alice by Satomi Nakamura (Ciao)
- Manchuria Opium Squad (Manshu Ahen Squad) by Tsukasa Monma (Story) and Shikako (Art) (Young Magazine)
- Dreams of Drops and Golden Birdcages (Yume no Shizuku, Ougon no Torikago) by Chie Shinohara (Petit Comic)
- Red Blue by Atsushi Namikiri (Weekly Shonen Sunday)
This year’s winners will be announced on Jan 17, 2025, following the final selection committee’s deliberations.
Last year’s winners included Sousou no Frieren, The Elusive Samurai, Suji de Asobo and Trillion Game.
Kagurabachi has been serialized in Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump magazine since September 2023. The first tankobon volume was released on Feb 2, 2024.
Viz Media and Shueisha’s Manga Plus platform are publishing the series in English.
It was chosen as the best up-and-coming manga on Shueisha’s Manga Plus app by fans during Anime Expo 2024. Shueisha reportedly wants the manga to carry the next generation of Shonen Jump.
It has also garnered significant international attention. The English version of Chapter 1 achieved the top spot in global views on MANGA Plus by SHUEISHA just one week after its debut.
As a part of manga’s first anniversary, the series launched a fan contest that allows readers to create and submit designs of their own ‘Mob Sorcerer’ characters.
Source: Shogakukan’s Official Website
