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March comes in like a lion Wins 18th Tezuka Osamu Prizes' Top Award

The winners for the 18th Annual Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prizes were announced on Tuesday.

Grand Prize

Hakusensha
The story of the manga follows a solitary shōgi player named Rei and his relationships with a neighboring family. He becomes acquainted with Akari, and two young girls, Hinata and Momo, who also have have a large number of cats.

New Creator Prize

Mitsuami no Kami-sama and other works
Mitsuami no Kami-sama tells the story of a pigtail-braid girl after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

Short Work Prize

Onnoji and other works
In Onnoji, a girl named Miyako finds herself alone when everyone else in the world disappeared. While spending time on the somewhat strange town devoid of people, she realizes there is "something" else there and names it Onnoji. The four- manga follows the daily routine of a girl in a world that is anything but routine.

Special Prize

Shōtarō Ishinomori. The Ai…Shirisomeshi Kei ni sequel follows the characters as they are a little older and are pursuing their dreams of becoming manga creators.

Reader Prize

Chūya Koyama
The manga's story follows two brothers, Mutta and Hibito, who made a vow as kids to travel to space. The younger brother Hibito did become an astronaut, but not Mutta. However, Mutta's life changes one fateful day. The manga inspired a live-action film will open on August 9.

Kikai-jikake no Ai won the Short Work Prize.

This year's nominating committee — which includes novelist Kyoto Seika University professor Jaqueline Berndt — selected from among the works that were published from January to December of 2013.

The newspaper awards a 2-million-yen ($20,000) Manga Grand Prize along with a statuette of Tezuka's Mighty Atom (Astro Boy) character. In addition, 1 million yen (US$10,000) goes to each of the winners of the New Artist Prize, Short Work Prize, and the Special Prize every year. The actual awards presentation ceremony will take place on May 30.

Source: Comic Natalie