Interest
BookLive Launches 1st Industry Award For Manga Characters
posted on by Kim Morrissy
The digital book vendor BookLive is hosting a new industry award specifically for manga characters. The "Magademy Award 2021" will honor the manga characters that "shined the most this year." The shortlist of nominees will be announced on February 8, and the formal award will be announced on March 16.
Fans can nominate their favorite manga characters through BookLive's website from December 9 to January 5. Any manga character that appeared in a print or digital tankōbon in Japan from December 1, 2020 to November 20, 2021 is eligible. You can vote once per day; in order for your vote to be eligible you must write the character's full name and the series title in Japanese.
Comedian Kendo Kobayashi will serve as the special chairman on this year's judging committee. The committee will also be comprised of employees from bookstores that sell manga, such as Sanseido Books or Tsutaya.
Kobayashi commented: "What's important to a manga? The story? The art? Many manga artists say it's when the characters move on their own. Characters who can surprise even the parents who birthed them. It might be around time those guys and gals get their spotlight."
Sources: Comic Natalie, Crunchyroll News (Mikikazu Komatsu)
