It is finally that time of year again! The Will Eisner Comic Industry Award nominations are out. Announced by Comic-Con International on June 9, 2021, this year’s nominations saw the inclusion of several manga.
For those of you not familiar with the Eisner Awards, here’s a short break down: The Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are prizes and awards given out for creative achievements within the American comic book industry.
There are 32 categories that run the gamut from “Best Single Issue” to “Best Painter/Multimedia Artist”. The categories where we’ll see the manga nominations include the following: “Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia” and “Best Graphic Memoir”.
The awards are “celebrating their 33rd year of bringing attention to and highlighting the best publications and creators in comics and graphic novels”.
2021 Eisner Award Nominations for Manga
The nominations for the “Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia” are as follows:
- I Had That Same Dream Again by Yoru Sumino and Idumi Kirihara, translation by Beni Axia Conrad (Seven Seas)
- I Wish I Could Say “Thank You” by Yukari Takinami, translation by Yukari Takeuchi (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
- A Journal Of My Father by Jiro Taniguchi, translation by Kumar Sivasubramanian (Fanfare/Ponent Mon)
- Ping Pong, Vols. 1–2 by Taiyo Matsumoto, translation by Michael Arias (VIZ Media)
- Remina by Junji Ito, translation by Jocelyne Allen (VIZ Media)
- Spy x Family vols. 1–3, by Tatsuya Endo, translation by Casey Loe (VIZ Media)
In one of the newest categories to be added to the Eisner Awards, “Best Graphic Memoir”, we can find I Don’t Know How to Give Birth! by Ayami Kazama (as translated by Julie Goniwich).
Manga Creators and Series Also Nominated
Among the nominations for completed works come a few nominations for individual creators as well as nominations for continuing series.
Usagi Yojimbo by Stan Sakai was nominated in two categories: “Best Continuing Series” and “Best Lettering”.
Ping Pong by Taiyo Matsumoto was also nominated under “Best Lettering” for work done by Deron Benett.
And horror master Junji Ito was nominated under the category of “Best Writer/Artist” for both Remina and Venus in the Blind Spot.
The winners will be announced after voting wraps up on June 30, 2021. Results will be shared online during Comic-Con@Home 2021.
Do you have thoughts on who should win from the above categories? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or on Twitter.
