Japan invents manga ‘Nobel prize’

Do you create your own manga comics? You should attend this competition and take a opportunity to grap a “Nobel Prize” from Japanese government. It’s a cool idea.

Japan has set up a “Nobel prize” for foreign manga comic artists in the hope of spreading its pop culture and winning more fans for its robot villains, mutant heroes and saucer-eyed heroines.

Foreign Minister Taro Aso, an avid manga reader himself, announced yesterday that the government had created the “International MANGA Award” so that artists abroad will obtain a better understanding of Japanese culture.

Winners will be chosen in July by a panel of Japanese manga artists and will be awarded with a 10-day visit to Japan and have a chance to meet Japanese manga artists and publishers.

Manga was born in 1950s post-war Japan, when artists like Osamu Tezuka created big-eyed characters like Astro Boy, inspired by American comics. Today these graphic novels go hand-in-hand with Japanese animation, or anime.

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