The International MANGA Awards was established five years ago to share Japanese pop culture and to further promote understanding of Japan. It was created to recognize the contribution of manga artists outside Japan who have played a big role in the promotion of manga overseas.

 

Manga is the Japanese word for “comics” and consists of comics and print cartoons. Manga also refers specifically to comics created in Japan or by Japanese auteurs or conforming to the comic book illustration style developed in Japan in the late 19 th century. Today, manga has gained phenomenal worldwide popularity and continues to influence many comic book artists from around the world.

 

Filipino manga artists have been recognized in the previous MANGA Awards. In the 1 st International MANGA Awards in 2007, the talents of two Filipino artists were recognized along with 17 other talented manga artists of different nationalities. During the 2 nd International MANGA Awards in 2008, Mr. Kriss Sison (artist of “ Ninja Girl Ko” ) received an Honorable Mention award.

 

Relatedly, the Embassy of Japan announced the winners of its “Torara Manga Making Mini Contest” during the Grand Finals of the 2011 J-Pop Anime Singing Contest. The “Torara Manga Making Mini Contest” was held to promote manga among young Filipino artists and to celebrate the Philippines-Japan Friendship Month Celebration this year. “Torara” is the official mascot of the J-Pop Anime Singing Contest.
 
 

Entries to the 5 th MANGA Awards will be accepted from July 21, 2011 until August 31, 2011 . Entries can be submitted to either of the following addresses: 


Japan Information and Culture Center
 
P.O. Box 117
 
Embassy of Japan in the Philippines
 
2627 Roxas Boulevard, Pasay City
 
1300 Philippines 



or



The Fifth International MANGA Award Executive Committee
 
P.O. Box MBE 125
 
Tokyo Toranomon Building 1F
 
Toranomon 1-1-18
 
Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001
 
Japan

Inviting Budding Filipino Manga Artists to the 5 th Int'l MANGA Awards