A leak from China via Weibo revealed the results of the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2022, an annual publication from the publisher Takarajimasha which compiles the most recommended manga series for 2021. The book in question includes both the list and reviews and opinion pieces of the listed works, and the ranking is created through massive polls of fans and industry personalities. For this year in the category for male readers the one-shot of Tatsuki Fujimoto, Look back, took first place.
With the above, Tatsuki Fujimoto is the first author in the history of this listing (published in Japan since 2005), which took first place in the list not just twice, but twice in a row, as it won the award for. received Chainsaw man last year.
Results of the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! 2022
- 10. Darwin Jihen (Darwin’s incident), from Avoid Umezawa: «The terrorist organization Alliance for the Liberation of Animals (ALA) attacked a biological research institute and rescued a pregnant chimpanzee. This chimpanzee gave birth to a “human” (half-human, half-chimpanzee) whom they named Charlie. Raised by human parents for fifteen years, Charlie is entering his freshman year of high school. There he meets the intelligent but socially misunderstood Lucy.».
- 9. Peleliu: Rakuen no Guernica (Peleliu: Guernica of Paradise), from Kazuyoshi Takeda: «Shouwa 19 (1944), summer. Tamaru, a soldier who wanted to become a manga artist, was on Peleliu Island at the end of the Pacific War. The island was a paradise covered by beautiful forests and surrounded by a sea of coral reefs. It was also a battlefield where 50,000 soldiers from Japan and the United States killed each other. At that time, 40,000 American elite soldiers invaded the country to conquer the airfield that was touted as the best in East Asia. A garrison of 10,000 Japanese soldiers was ordered to face the attackers and “fully endure” the attack. What were they fighting for and what were they up to on this small island far from home? A record of the long-forgotten truth of the youth who lived during the “war”!».
- 8th trillion game, from Riichiro inagaki and Ryoichi ikegami: «Two friends, Haru and Gaku, plot to raise enough money to have what they want, whenever they want: a trillion dollars.».
- 7. Oshi no Ko, from Aka Akasaka and Mengo Yokoyari: «Ai Hoshino, 16, is a talented and beautiful idol who is adored by her fans. She is the personification of a young and pure virgin. But not all that glitters is gold. Gorou Honda is a rural gynecologist and a huge fan of Ai. When the pregnant idol shows up in his hospital, he is more than confused. Gorou promises her a safe delivery. What he doesn’t know is that encountering a mysterious figure will lead him to a premature death, at least he thought. Gorou opens his eyes on his beloved idol’s lap and discovers that he has been reborn as the newborn son of Aquamarine Hoshino-Ai. With his world turned upside down, Gorou quickly learns that show business is full of thorns and talent doesn’t always bring success. Will she manage to protect the smile of Ai, who she loves so much, with the help of an eccentric and unexpected ally?».
- 6. Sousou no freezing (Friren: Beyond the end of the journey), from Kanehito Yamada and Tsukasa Abe: «The Demon King has been defeated and the victorious group of heroes return home before they disband. All four – the magician Frieren, the hero Himmel, the priest Heiter and the warrior Eisen – look back on their decades-long journey as they say goodbye. But the passage of time is different for elves, so Freeze watches as his companions slowly die one by one. Before his death, Heiter succeeds in blaming a young apprentice named Fern. Driven by the elf’s passion for collecting endless spells, the two embark on a seemingly aimless journey, exploring the places heroes of yesteryear have visited. During his travels, Frieren gradually comes to terms with his regrets about the missed opportunities to forge deeper bonds with his deceased comrades.».
- 5. Tokyo Higoro (Tokyo every day), from Taiyou Matsumoto: «A requiem for the ghostly, lost and wanderers in life for those over 50. As Japan enters a new era, the story revolves around Shiosawa, a former manga editor for a major publisher. After his early retirement, he now wonders what the manga world means to him: job, form of expression or friendship?».
- 4. Dandandan, from Yukinobu-Tatsu: «After being aggressively rejected, Momo Ayase finds herself pouting when she encounters a boy who is being bullied. Rescued by her ruthless kindness, the occult-obsessed boy tries to talk to her about supernatural interests he believes share. Denying his claims, Ayase declares that she believes in ghosts instead, and initiates an argument between the two about which one is real. To find out who is right, the two decide to visit places related to the occult and the supernatural separately: Ayase visits the former and the boy visits the latter. When the two arrive at their respective locations, it turns out that neither of them was wrong and that both the occult and the spirits exist. This marks the beginning of Ayase and the adventure of the boy who shares a name with Ayase’s favorite idol, Ken Takakura, as they attempt to mend the surreal, supernatural, and sci-fi elements around them in order to return to a normal life.».
- 3. Kaijuu 8-gou (Monster # 8) from Naoya Matsumoto. «Grotesque, Godzilla-like monsters called “Kaijuu” have appeared in Japan for many years. To fight these beasts, an elite military unit called the Defense Corps risks their lives daily to protect civilians. Once a creature has been killed, the “sweepers” who work under the Kaijuu Professional Cleaning Corporation are responsible for disposing of its remains.».
- 2. Chi .: Chikyuu no Undou nor Tsuite (About the movement of the earth), from Uoto: «The backdrop is 15th century Poland. It was a time when heretical ideas resulted in those with this mentality being burned at the stake for their beliefs. Rafal, a child prodigy, had to specialize in theology, the most important subject at the time, at university. One day, however, he meets a mysterious man and is now studying a possible “truth” amid heretical thoughts.».
- 1. Look back, from Tatsuki Fujimoto: «Ayumu Fujino, a fourth grader, regularly draws four panel sleeves for her school newspaper and is recognized for having the best artwork in her class. One day his teacher asks him to give one of his manga slots in the school newspaper to an absent student named Kyomoto. When Kyomoto’s manga appears alongside Fujinos, he receives high praise for its detailed artwork, which infuriates Fujino. Refusing to be defeated by someone who barely goes to school, Fujino devotes himself to learning how to create manga. But over time, his goal of dwarfing Kyomoto seems ever further distant, and Fujino, now in sixth grade, eventually gives up and gives up manga. Graduation day is coming and Fujino is asked to give Kyomoto his graduation certificate. By chance, the two meet face to face, and their unexpected encounter will have consequences far beyond what either of them could predict.».
Source: Weibo | Kono Manga ga Sugoi!
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