Tomato Soup's "Tenmaku no Jadūgal" Wins the 55th Japan Cartoonists Association Award
The winners of the 55th Japan Cartoonists Association Awards, one of the most respected honors in Japan's manga world, have been announced. According to the official announcement made on April 15, 2026, the popular historical fiction series Tenmaku no Jadūgal (A Witch's Life in Mongol) by Tomato Soup was awarded the Grand Prize in the Manga category. While the Grand Prize in the Cartoon category went to Wart's WART CARTOON, the Special Award was given to Kōji Shima's atomic bomb-themed work Ishibumi: Genbaku ga Ochite kuru toki, Bokura wa Sora wo Miteita.
Tenmaku no Jadūgal takes readers to the magnificent and equally ruthless Mongol Empire of the 13th century. The story follows the impressive life of Fatima (Sitara), who was sold as a slave in the city of Tus, Iran, but rose through the ranks of the imperial court with her intelligence and knowledge. The series, which draws attention with its unique art style reminiscent of medieval manuscripts, is not just a survival story but also represents the silent war of knowledge against brute force. The work had previously proven its quality by being selected as number one in the female readers category on the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! list in 2023.
Mangaka Tomato Soup has carved a unique place for themselves in the industry with their attention to historical detail and character depth. Organized since 1972 and being one of Japan's most established manga awards, this organization is presented by the Japan Cartoonists Association to support the development of the industry. Awarding this prize to Tenmaku no Jadūgal has registered not only the commercial success of the work but also its artistic and cultural value. As part of the award, winners will be presented with a gold plaque, a medal, and a cash prize of 500,000 yen.
Exciting developments for fans of the series are not limited to this. The anime adaptation, prepared by Science Saru studio and directed by Abel Góngora with Naoko Yamada as chief director, is scheduled to air in July 2026. Following this prestigious award, the anime is expected to reach a much wider audience worldwide. For fans of historical fiction, Tenmaku no Jadūgal will continue to be one of the most talked-about and followed productions of the coming period.
