The Summer Hikaru Died leads 2026 American Manga Awards nominees

The American Manga Awards return for their third year in 2026, produced by Anime NYC and Japan Society. The ceremony will take place on August 20, 2026, at Japan Society in New York City, the night before Anime NYC opens at the Javits Center. This year’s 35 nominees span the full spectrum of contemporary manga publishing, from blockbuster creators like Naoki Urasawa (Billy Bat) to prestige works such as Yuki Urushibara’s Mushishi Collector’s Edition.

Mokumokuren’s The Summer Hikaru Died is among the most talked-about recent horror entries, while smaller presses and indie imprints — including Glacier Bay Books and Star Fruit Books, which merged in February 2026 after the founder of Star Fruit Books passed away last year — also landed multiple nominations.

Craft awards put translators, letterers, and designers front and center. Translators such as Asa Yoneda and Alexa Frank are recognized, and Publication Design nominees range from Wendy Chan’s Fruits Basket: The Complete Box Set to Patrick Crotty’s design for Stop!!

United States, New York City

manga awards, anime nyc, japan society, mokumokuren, naoki urasawa, yuki urushibara, mushishi, glacier bay, star fruit, wendy chan