The first ever Magademy Award 2021 announces winning manga characters
Manga e-book service BookLive has announced the winners of its first ever Magademy Awards, which awards memorable manga characters.
By: Nicole S. Castro on March 16, 2022 at 12:47 PHT
Manga e-book service BookLive has announced the winners of its first ever Magademy Awards, which awards manga characters instead of the actual artists or writers.
The awards were established to pay tribute to highly memorable manga characters who inspire us readers in our daily lives.
Nominations took place in December 2021, which were shortlisted in February 2022, and finalized today, March 16, 2022.
In order to qualify, the character must have appeared in a digital tankobon edition of a manga released between Dec. 1, 2020 and Nov. 30, 2021.
Without further ado, here are the winners:
Best Male Lead Character: Totono Kuno from "Do Not Say Mystery" by Yumi Tamura
Jury's verdict (Japanese):
“闘病”という言葉に対して、「勝とうと思えば勝てたのに、努力が足りずに負けたから死ぬんですか」「勝ち負けがあるとしたらお医者さんとか、医療です」と疑問を呈したシーンにハッとさせられた。一つの物事を多方面から分析して言語化する能力の高さを評価。また、多様性を重んじる現代にもマッチしている。
Translation by AniradioPlus:
We were surprised when Kuno questioned the meaning of fighting disease, when he said, "I could've won if I had wanted to, but I lost because I didn't try hard enough, so am I going to die now?" We really appreciated his analytical skills and his ability to express profound thoughts from multiple perspectives. We think this matches the tone of today's world which values diversity.
Best Female Lead Character: Yona from "Yona of the Dawn" by Mizuho Kusanagi
Jury's verdict (Japanese):
（当初は「守られる姫」だった）弱弱しい女の子が、仲間たちとの冒険で強く頼もしく成長していく様子に心打たれる。そんなヨナの姿を見て、背中を押してもらったひとも少なくはないだろう。女性の強さが描かれており、魅力的なキャラクターだ。
Translation by AniradioPlus:
It is heartwarming to see an initially sheltered princess grow into a strong and dependable woman through her adventures with friends. We're sure seeing Yona like this gives people a lot of inspiration. She is a fascinating character and truly shows the strength of a woman.
Best Male Supporting Character: Manjiro Sano from "Tokyo Revengers" by Ken Wakui
Jury's verdict (Japanese):
マイキーは実は経済効果ももたらしている。オートバイのバブがとてもよく売れているという話を聞いた。そういった点でもスゴイ。でも神社は集会に使う場所ではないので気を付けて。
Translation by AniradioPlus:
Mikey is both an amazing character and an asset to Japan's economy. We heard that motorcycle hubs have been selling well lately. But remember, shrines are not for gang assemblies.
Best Female Supporting Character: Shinobu Wakamiya from "Chihayafuru" by Yuki Suetsugu
Jury's verdict (Japanese):
仲間思いの主人公・千早とは対照的に、孤高の天才。孤独感を抱えながらも一人で戦う芯の強さが、読者を惹きつける。
Translation by AniradioPlus:
Shinobu is a stark contrast to the friendly protagonist Chihaya. Shinobu is a solitary genius who bears her burdens alone, making her attractive to many readers.
Jury Special Award: Guts from "Berserk" by Kentaro Miura
Jury's verdict (Japanese):
『ベルセルク』という作品をいつまでも語り継いでいきたい。生まれたときから不遇なのに堪え忍んで前に進む彼をここで推したい。今までありがとうという気持ちを伝えたい。
Translation by AniradioPlus:
We can't stop talking about "Berserk." We wanted to promote Guts here because he keeps moving forward despite his unfortunate circumstances at birth. We want to express our gratitude for everything he has done.
Congratulations to all the winners! See the official website for the full list of nominees.
Source: Magademy Awards official website, Comic Natalie, Sora News24
NICOLE S. CASTRO
Author
Nicole is based in the Philippines and works as a freelance Japanese Translator/Interpreter and copywriter (English). She is a JLPT N2 passer who watches anime to "study" for N1. She has a long career history on LinkedIn (with primary focus on media and translation), but her anime watchlist is much, much longer.
