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Cat Companions Maruru and Hachi Manga Wins Japan Cartoonists Association Award

The Japan Cartoonists Association (JCA) announced the winners of the 54th Japan Cartoonists Association Awards on Monday. Yuri Sonoda's Cat Companions Maruru and Hachi (Tsureneko Maruru to Hachi) manga won the grand prize in the Comic division. Masaru Yamaguchi's 10-nin no Hakase no Hiruyasumi (The 10 Doctors' Lunch Break) won the Cartoon division. Sakana Sakatsuki's Star Tripper -Planetarium Ghost Travel- won in the Manga division, for being a work that is worthy to the name "manga," but is not part of any genre. Each grand prize includes a 500,000 yen (about US$3,491) prize money and a certificate handwritten by manga creator Tetsuya Chiba.

In addition, Arako Toaru's Never Say Ugly (Busu Nante Iwanaide) won the Manga Kingdom Tottori award, and received 200,000 yen (about US$1,396) in prize money and Tottori Prefecture specialties. Kei Honjō's Kumauchi no Samurai (Samurai Bear Hunter) manga won the Manga Kingdom Tosa award, and received 200,000 yen in prize money and Kōchi Prefecture specialties.

As a tribute to the late manga creator Kazuo Umezu, all of his works were awarded the MEXT award, and received a 200,000 yen prize money and a Certificate of Commendation from the MEXT.

The JCA has presented the Japan Cartoonists Association Awards every year since 1972. Machiko Satonaka served as head of this year's selection committee. Committee members included: Yutaka Abe, Naomi Kimura, Yukio Shinohara, Kazuyoshi Takeda, Noriko Nagano, Akiko Nemoto, Emi Misaki, Norifusa Mita, Yasuhiro Yamauchi, and Aooni Yamane.

Source: Japan Cartoonists Association's website