50th Kodansha Manga Awards Finalists Announced: Here Are the Best Manga Candidates of the Year!

The heart of the manga world is beating with exciting news from Japan! The countdown has begun for the Kodansha Manga Awards, which will be held for the 50th time this year and is considered one of the most prestigious awards in the industry. A total of 13 finalist works competing in three main categories have been officially announced. This year's list brings together hit series from established publishers and impactful works from the new generation of creators.

Competition in the Shonen category is heating up. Among the nominees, Gachiakuta by Kei Urana, which has reached a massive global fanbase, and The Fragrant Flowers Bloom with Bravery (Kaoru Hana wa Rin to Saku), the heartwarming romantic series by Saka Mikami, stand out. Additionally, Ichi the Witch (Ma-otoko no Ichi), the new series by Act-Age artist Shiro Usazaki in collaboration with Osamu Nishi, made a big surprise by reaching the finals. The other nominee in this category is Luka Konoshima's Utsura Nai n desu.

The situation is no different in the Shojo and General categories. On the Shojo side, Mika Yamamori's popular work In the Clear Moonlit Dusk (Uruwashi no Yoi no Tsuki) and Kazune Kawahara's The Star Bluer Than the Sun (Taiyou Yori mo Mabushii Hoshi) are considered favorites. In the General category, profound stories such as Shun Umezawa's award-winning series The Darwin Incident (Darwin Jihen) and Inuhiko Doronota's To Walk in Space with You (Kimi to Uchuu o Aruku Tame ni) will compete.

Held since 1977, the Kodansha Manga Awards have shaped the history of manga by crowning legends such as Akira, Sailor Moon, and Attack on Titan. Each winning work will receive a cash prize of 1 million yen as well as a prestigious bronze statuette. Who the champions of the 50th year will be will be determined at the grand ceremony to be held on May 11, 2026. Let's see which works will write their names in golden letters in this historic year!