The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity, Gachiakuta, Ichi the Witch, and In the Clear Moonlit Dusk were among the nominees.
The 50th Kodansha Manga Awards are just around the corner! Japanese publisher Kodansha confirmed on Monday that 13 titles from Kodansha, KADOKAWA, Shueisha, and Shogakukan are competing across three categories, with the winners set to be announced on 11 May.
The 50th Annual Kodansha Manga Awards
Date: 11 May 2026
Organised by: Kodansha
Nominees for the 50th Annual Kodansha Manga Awards:
Best Shōnen Manga nominees:
- Utsura nai ndesu by Ruka Konoshima (Shogakukan)
- The Fragrant Flower Blooms with Dignity by Saka Mikami (Kodansha; also nominated in 2023, 2024, 2025)
- Gachiakuta by Kei Urana, Hideyoshi Ando (Kodansha; also nominated in 2023, 2024)
- Ichi the Witch by Osamu Nishi, Shiro Usazaki (Shueisha)
Best Shojo Manga:
- In the Clear Moonlit Dusk by Mika Yamamori (Kodansha; also nominated in 2022, 2023, 2024)
- Re-Living My Life with a Boyfriend Who Doesn't Remember Me by Eiko Mutsuhana, Yugiri Aika, Gin Shirakawa (KADOKAWA, also nominated in 2025)
- A Star Brighter Than the Sun by Kazune Kawahara (Shueisha)
- Gazing at the Star Next Door by Ammitsu (Kodansha, also nominated in 2025)
Best General Manga:
- Spacewalking With You by Inuhiko Doronoda (Kodansha, also nominated in 2025)
- The Darwin Incident by Shun Umezawa (Kodansha, also nominated in 2023, 2024)
- Nezumi’s First Love by Rku Oseto (Kodansha, also nominated in 2025)
- Heisei Haizan-hei Sumire-chan by Satomi U (Kodansha)
- Mii-chan and Yamada-san by Nene Azuki (Kodansha)
In previous years, Kodansha also presented a “Best Children’s Manga” award. However, the category has been folded into the Best Shōnen Manga and Best Shōjo Manga awards since 2015.
Last year’s winners saw ONE, Kyōtarō Azuma, and BOSE’s Versus take home Best Shōnen Manga, while Coco Uzuki’s Fall in Love, You False Angels won Best Shōjo Manga. Hitoshi Iwaaki’s Historie was also named Best General Manga.