TVPast Forums - Japan plans Nobel Prize for Manga/Anime

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/book....ap/index.html

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quote:TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- Japan will hand out its first "Nobel Prize of Manga" this summer for artists in the comic book genre abroad, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday -- another step in its efforts to harness the power of pop culture diplomacy.

The International Manga Award -- which manga enthusiast Foreign Minister Taro Aso likened to a "Nobel Prize" when he first proposed it last year -- will be given to an artist working abroad whose work best contributes to the spread of the manga form worldwide, the ministry said in a statement.

Manga, a name used for Japanese-style comic books, often combine complex stories with drawing styles that differ from their overseas superhero counterparts, particularly in their frequent emphasis on cuteness.

The winner and three runners-up will receive a certificate and trophy at an awards ceremony set for July 2, and will spend 10 days in Japan meeting with local comic book artists and publishers, the statement said.

"Manga and anime have been spreading overseas and are selling quite well," Aso said in announcing the award at a regular press briefing. "I want to further boost the communicative power of these so-called pieces of pop culture."

Anime is the Japanese term for animated films.

Aso has argued that warm feelings for Japanese comics and animation can translate into warm feelings for Japanese foreign policy.

He has proposed sending animation or cartoon artists overseas as cultural ambassadors, and the government has named a panel of executives to advise ways to market Japanese animation and culture to foreign audiences.

The award committee, to be composed of manga artists and publishers, is expected to make its selections around June 22, the ministry statement said.

The prize carries no monetary reward, ministry official Nobuyuki Watanabe said. The trophy's design has yet to be finalized, but it would be something "appropriate," he said.