Danica Davidson
June 17, 2025 
The nominees for the second annual American Manga Awards have been revealed! Judges consists of people doing editorial work for North American manga publishers. We’ll know the winners on August 21 at NYC’s Japan Society. Japan Society and Anime NYC are both involved in the awards, and the con will be going on at the same time.
Let’s take a look at who’s in the running for the different categories!
Best New Manga Category
- Hikaru in the Light! Volume 1 by Mai Matsuda
- Dragon and Chameleon Volume 1 by Ryo Ishiyama
- The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All Volume 1 by Sumiko Arai
- Spacewalking With You Volume 1 by Inuhiko Doronoda
- A Witch’s Life in Mongol Volume 1 by Tomato Soup
Best Continuing Series Category
- The Summer Hikaru Died by Mokumokuren
- Innocent Omnibus Volume 3 by Shin’ichi Sakamoto
- Search and Destroy Volume 2 by Atsushi Kaneko
- The Apothecary Diaries by Natsu Hyuuga, Nekokurage, and Itsuki Nanao
- Hirayasumi, Volumes 3–5 by Keigo Shinzo
Best One-Shot Manga Category
- H.P. Lovecraft’s The Colour Out of Space by Gou Tanabe
- Brain Damage by Shintaro Kago
- A Smart and Courageous Child by Miki Yamamoto
- Tamaki and Amane by Fumi Yoshinaga
- Stardust Family by Aki Poroyama
Best New Edition of Classic Manga Category
- They Were 11! By Moto Hagio
- Short Game by Mitsuru Adachi
- Mansect by Koga Shinichi
- The Legend of Kamui, Volume 1 by Sanpei Shirato
- Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow, Volumes 1–2 by Asao Takamori, Tetsuya Chiba
Best Lettering Category
- Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow, Volumes 1–2 by Asao Takamori and Tetsuya Chiba; lettering by Evan Hayden
- Cat Man by Parari, lettering by Rebecca Sze
- Love Laid Bare by Ouchi Kaeru, lettering by Robert Harkins
- My Tiny Senpai by Saisou, lettering by Joven Voon
- Search and Destroy Volume 2 by Atsushi Kaneko, lettering by Phil Christie
Best Translation Category
- Otaku Love Connection by Chu Amairo, translated by minami
- Face Meat by Bonten Taro, translated by Ryan Holmberg
- Search and Destroy, Volume 2 by Atsushi Kaneko, translated by Ben Applegate
- Ultra Heaven, Volume 1 by Keiichi Koike, translated by Ajani Oloye
- The Tale of Jiraiya the Gallant: Volume 1 by Mizugaki Egao, et al; translated by Andreas Kronborg Danielsen
Best Publication Design Category
- The Legend of Kamui, Volume 1 by Sanpei Shirato, designed by Lucia Gargiulo and Tom Devlin
- Planetes Deluxe Edition Book 1 by Makoto Yukimura, designed by Riley VanDyke and Carl Gustav Horn
- Seaside Beta by ohuton, designed by emuh ruh
- Veil, Volume 1 by Kotteri, designed by Kohei Nawada Design Office with lettering by Kevin Druelle and Oshino Studio
- JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure—Part 7: Steel Ball Run, Volume 1 by Hirohiko Araki, designed by Adam Grano
Meanwhile, Studio Proteus founder and editor Toren Smith; translators Dana Lewis, Alan Gleason, and Frederik Schodt; manga artist and letterer Tomoko Saito; comics creator Adam Warren; and comics letterers Tom Orzechowski and L. Lois Buhalis are all getting the Manga Publishing Hall of Fame Award for their work at Studio Proteus.
American Manga Awards committee chair Deb Aoki stated, “It’s exciting to see works from debut creators alongside new volumes from longtime fan favorites, all brought to life through the efforts of translators, editors, letterers, and designers, who win awards for their amazing work. These awards are our way of honoring that full creative chain and spotlighting the people who help manga resonate so deeply with English-language readers.
Source: Publishers Weekly
____
Danica Davidson is the author of the bestselling Manga Art for Beginners with artist Melanie Westin, plus its sequel, Manga Art for Everyone, and the first-of-its-kind manga chalk book Chalk Art Manga, both illustrated by professional Japanese mangaka Rena Saiya. Check out her other comics and books at www.danicadavidson.com.
