The award ceremony for the 48th Kodansha Manga Award, which determines the most popular manga of the moment, was held at a hotel in Tokyo on July 31.

The Kodansha Manga Award, given annually to authors who have published the most outstanding works, aims to improve the quality of Japanese manga and contribute to its development. This year's winners included "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" (original story by Kanehito Yamada, art by Tsukasa Abe, published in Shogakukan's Weekly Shonen Sunday) in the boys' category, "Watching Your Profile" (by Rumi Ichinohe, published in Bessatsu Friend) in the girls' category, and "Medalist" (by Tsurumaikada, published in Afternoon) in the general category.

At the award ceremony, Weekly Shonen Sunday Editor-in-Chief Kazunori Oshima shared some behind-the-scenes details about "Frieren: Beyond Journey's End." "The project for 'Frieren: Beyond Journey's End' was submitted to the editorial department in 2019. Initially, during discussions with the original editor, Yamada-sensei's concept was 'Let's go with a comedy about a hero and a demon king!'" he explained.

He continued, "However, the final story that emerged was the one you all know: the tale of a long-lived elven mage who, after parting with a human hero, realizes the differences in their lifespans and embarks on a journey to understand humans. The first chapter alone was emotionally stirring. Abe-sensei also found the script to be a very beautiful story," indicating how the concept evolved into its current form.

"Frieren: Beyond Journey's End" has been serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday since April 2020. It is a "post-fantasy" story that follows the hero party's adventures after defeating the demon king. The elven mage, Frieren, embarks on new adventures in a world without the hero, accompanied by new companions.

The unique timeline set after the demon king's defeat, coupled with heart-wrenching drama, powerful dialogues, magical and sword battles, and humor, has garnered a wide readership. It won the Grand Prize at the Manga Taisho Awards 2021, with over 22 million copies in circulation. The TV anime adaptation aired from September 2023 to March 2024.

Source : ORICON NEWS