After a smashing success last year, the American Manga Awards return with their list of 2025 nominees. The second edition of the annual awards introduces a new seventh category, recognizing the best one-shot manga.
Professional registration and voting are now open. Winners will be announced during a ceremony at New York City’s Japan Society on August 21, coinciding with Anime NYC weekend.
American Manga Awards committee chair Deb Aoki said:
“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.”
This year’s nominees represent a solid mix of genres and publishers, honoring both major players and smaller presses. Yen Press leads the pack with five nominations, including two each in the Best New Manga and Best One-Shot Manga categories. The most-nominated title is Search & Destroy Vol. 2 by Atsushi Kaneko (Fantagraphics). Kaneko’s modern retelling of Osamu Tezuka’s Dororo received three nominations: Best Continuing Manga Series, Best Translation, and Best Lettering. This marks the second nomination for letterer Phil Christie, who was the series’ sole nominee at last year’s inaugural awards.
The 2025 Manga Publishing Hall of Fame will induct Studio Proteus, a pioneering company in manga import, translation, and lettering. Founded in 1986, Studio Proteus played a key role in bringing Japanese comics to the U.S. Alongside founding editor Toren Smith, its notable roster includes L. Lois Buhalis, Alan Gleason, Dana Lewis, Tom Orzechowski, Tomoko Saito, Adam Warren, and Frederik Schodt—who was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year.
As the American Manga Awards website notes:
“The 2025 recipients of the Manga Publishing Hall of Fame Award are Studio Proteus, the pioneering manga translation and publishing company that helped introduce legendary manga series like Blade of the Immortal, Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind, Ghost in the Shell, Oh! My Goddess, What’s Michael? and so much more to English language readers in N. America and around the world.”
A panel of industry experts selects the nominees, while registered professionals from the manga publishing ecosystem vote for the winners. Retailers, comics scholars, literary agents, and librarians are also encouraged to register. The voter registration deadline is 5 PM ET on July 21, and voting closes at 5 PM ET on July 24.
Judges for the 2025 awards include Shige Suzuki (associate professor, City University of New York), librarian and writer Ashley Hawkins, Yatta-Tachi editor-in-chief Katy Castillo, Anime News Network executive editor Lynzee Loveridge, and Manga Mavericks editor-in-chief Varun Gupta. Translation judges are AltJapan co-founders Hiroko Yoda and Matt Alt. Lettering will be judged by freelancers Aditya Bidikar and Ariana Maher, while publication design will be evaluated by freelance designer/art director Carina Taylor and Kinokuniya USA regional manager Shigekazu Watanabe.
BEST NEW MANGA
- Dragon and Chameleon, vol. 1, by Ryo Ishiyama (Square Enix Manga)
- The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy at All, vol. 1, by Sumiko Arai (Yen Press)
- Hikaru in the Light!, vol. 1, by Mai Matsuda (Scholastic)
- Spacewalking With You, vol. 1, by Inuhiko Doronoda (Kodansha)
- A Witch’s Life in Mongol, vol. 1, by Tomato Soup (Yen Press)
BEST CONTINUING MANGA SERIES
- The Apothecary Diaries, vol. 12 – 13, by Natsu Hyuuga, Nekokurage et al (Square Enix Manga)
- Hirayasumi, vol. 3 – 5, by Keigo Shinzo (Viz)
- Innocent, Omnibus Edition, vol. 3, by Shin’ichi Sakamoto (Dark Horse)
- Search and Destroy, vol. 2, by Atsushi Kaneko (Fantagraphics)
- The Summer Hikaru Died, vol. 5, by Mokumokuren (Yen Press)
BEST ONE-SHOT MANGA
- Brain Damage, by Shintaro Kago (Fantagraphics)
- H.P. Lovecraft’s The Colour Out of Space, by Gou Tanabe (Dark Horse)
- A Smart and Courageous Child, by Miki Yamamoto (Tokyopop)
- Stardust Family, by Aki Poroyama (Yen Press)
- Tamaki & Amane, by Fumi Yoshinaga (Yen Press)
BEST NEW EDITION OF CLASSIC MANGA
- Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow, vol. 1 – 2, by Asao Takamori & Tetsuya Chiba (Kodansha)
- The Legend of Kamui, vol. 1, by Shirato Sanpei (Drawn and Quarterly)
- Mansect, by Shinichi Koga (Living the Line)
- Short Game, by Mitsuru Adachi (Denpa Books)
- They Were 11!, by Moto Hagio (Denpa Books)
BEST TRANSLATION
- Ryan Holmberg – Face Meat, by Bonten Taro (Living the Line)
- minami – The Otaku Love Connection, vol. 1, by Chu Amairo (Square Enix Manga)
- Ben Applegate – Search and Destroy, vol. 2, by Atsushi Kaneko (Fantagraphics)
- Andreas Kronberg Danielsen – The Tale of Jiraiya the Gallant, vol. 1, by Mizugaki Egao, Ippitsuan and Ryukatei Tanekazu (Lacuna Lit Press/Blue Feathered Quill)
- Ajani Oloye – Ultra Heaven, vol. 1, by Keiichi Koike (Last Gasp)
BEST LETTERING
- Evan Hayden – Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow, vol. 1 – 2, by Asao Takamori & Tetsuya Chiba (Kodansha)
- Rebecca Sze – Cat Man, by Parari (Seven Seas Entertainment)
- Robert Harkins – Love Laid Bare, by Ouchi Kaeru (Fakku Books)
- Joven Voon – My Tiny Senpai, vol. 1, by Saisou (J-Novel Club)
- Phil Christie – Search and Destroy, vol. 2, by Atsushi Kaneko (Fantagraphics)
BEST PUBLICATION DESIGN
- Adam Grano – JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure – Part 7: Steel Ball Run, vol. 1, by Hirohiko Araki (Viz)
- Lucia Gargiulo & Tom Devlin – The Legend of Kamui, vol. 1, by Shirato Sanpei (Drawn and Quarterly)
- Riley VanDyke & Carl Gustav Horn – Planetes Deluxe Edition, Book 1, by Makoto Yukimura (Dark Horse)
- emuh ruh – Seaside Beta, by ohuton (Glacier Bay Books)
- Kohei Nawada Design Office – Veil, vol. 1 – Temperature of Orange, by Kotteri! (Udon Entertainment)
