Lee Chi Ching, a 43-year-old artist based in Hong Kong, won for his work, translated as The Chinese-language adventure series, which was published from 1995-2006, tells the story of famed ancient Chinese military strategist Sun Tzu and has also been translated into Japanese and other languages, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Though the fledgling honour carries no cash prize, Lee will be invited to Japan for a 10-day visit where he will be honoured at an awards ceremony on Monday and attend meetings with Japanese manga artists and publishers. Each year, Japan's multibillion-dollar manga industry produces a wealth of graphic-heavy publications that explore topics for a wide audience: from kids seeking cute, cartoony tales to adults seeking complex, science fiction or fantasy epics.
"We had only a short period of time to promote the award, but we received 146 works from 25 countries," said Kazuhiro Nakai, director of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's cultural affairs department. The three runners-up — who will also visit Japan — are Kai, another artist from Hong Kong, Australian Madeleine Rosca and Benny Wong Thong Hou of Malaysia. Leading Japanese manga artist Machiko Satonaka led the inaugural award's selection committee.
Manga fan and Japanese Foreign Minister Tara Aso first proposed the award last year, likening it to a sort of Nobel Prize for the Japanese-born cartoon and comic book genre. Aso pointed out the ever-growing popularity of the genre outside of the country and said that warm feelings toward manga could translate into similar warmth towards Japan. The International Manga Award is designed to honour an artist working in the genre abroad and his or her contribution to the spread of manga around the world.
With files from the Associated Press Japan unveils new prize to honour manga artists abroad National gallery not coming to Calgary building: EnCana The National Portrait Gallery won't be moving from Ottawa into EnCana Corporation's new office tower in Calgary, the company says. Bédard's boyfriend gets 6 months in jail for art theft The boyfriend of former Olympic champion Myriam Bédard has been sentenced to six months in jail for stealing works of art by Montreal artist Ghitta Caiserman-Roth. A Chinese artist has been announced as the inaugural winner of Japan's International Manga Award, the government announced Friday.
Onley, Vickers works destroyed in Penticton gallery fire All the paintings in the Lloyd Gallery in Penticton, B.C., including a Roy Henry Vickers acrylic and several watercolours by the late Toni Onley, are believed destroyed in a fire Thursday that burned six businesses to the ground.
Fashion designer Liz Claiborne dies at 78 Fashion designer Liz Claiborne, who revolutionized the way working women put together their wardrobes, died Tuesday at a New York hospital. She was 78. Movie critic Siegel dies at 63 Joel Siegel, the long-time movie critic from Good Morning America, died Friday after a battle with colon cancer.
Prince William requests favourite song at Concert for Diana Britain's Prince William has put in a special request to British soul and blues singer Joss Stone for the songs he'd like to hear at this Sunday's Concert for Diana. Lightfoot delights in postage stamp honour Music icon Gordon Lightfoot was thrilled when Canada Post approached him about being one of the four recording artists recognized in a new stamp series, available as of Friday. Canada's television regulator is recommending a more "market-oriented" Canadian Television Fund that would channel money to shows that are a ratings success.
Chrétien, MacLeod among new appointments to Order of Canada Former prime minister Jean Chrétien, pop singer Molly Johnson, award-winning writer Alistair MacLeod and broadcaster Pamela Wallin are among the latest distinguished Canadians set to receive the Order of Canada.
News RSS