Manga about the war in Ukraine nominated for the Tezuka Osamu Prize. Itʼs like the Oscars for mangaka

The manga about the events of the full-scale war in Ukraine, Battle Scar, by Japanese author Kobayashi Niki, has reached the finals of the prestigious Japanese Tezuka Osamu Prize.

This was reported on the award website.

“Battle Scars” is a collection of three stories about Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The first is about Matya, describing the war through the eyes of a child. The second is about Alena, based on the true story of a girl who “experiences the invisible scars of the Russian-Ukrainian war”. The third is the story of Ukrainian soldiers, one of whom is a veteran of the Russian-Ukrainian war, Grandpa Shinobi.

The manga was released in Japanese in August 2024. They want to translate it into Ukrainian.

“ʼBattle Scars’ is a story of people who can never be forgotten, and I hope it will remain in everyone’s hearts,” wrote manga author Kobayashi Niki.

The Tezuka Osamu Prize is one of the most prestigious awards in the manga industry, sometimes called the “Oscars” for mangaka. It was established by the Japanese publisher Asahi Shimbun in 1997 to honor the creative legacy of Tezuka Osamu. This yearʼs winners will be announced on June 5. In addition to “Battle Scars”, six other manga are in the running for the prize.

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