The Summer Hikaru Died and Billy Bat Lead the 2026 American Manga Awards Nominees
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
The 2026 American Manga Awards nominees have been revealed, with titles like The Summer Hikaru Died and Billy Bat leading a diverse slate of 35 nominees ahead of the August ceremony in New York City.
The American Manga Awards are returning for their third year, and the 2026 nominees highlight just how central manga has become to modern entertainment culture. Produced by Anime NYC and Japan Society, the upcoming ceremony will take place on August 20 in New York City, right before the kickoff of Anime NYC at the Javits Center. This year's list features 35 nominees spanning a massive spectrum of contemporary publishing, proving that the medium continues to capture the zeitgeist across digital spaces, physical shelves, and creator-led community discussions.
Leading the charge are massive titles like Mokumokuren's horror breakout The Summer Hikaru Died alongside works from industry heavyweights such as Naoki Urasawa, whose Billy Bat earned a well-deserved nod. The slate also shines a bright light on the backbone of the English-language manga ecosystem by celebrating translators, letterers, and designers. Categories like Publication Design showcase incredible craftsmanship, featuring nominated projects from Wendy Chan on the Fruits Basket box set and Patrick Crotty on Stop Hibari kun. Smaller indie presses like Glacier Bay Books are also holding their ground, bringing diverse storytelling to Western audiences alongside blockbuster mainstream hits.
Unlike fan popularity polls driven by social media algorithms, these awards are decided by a jury of publishing professionals, including librarians, booksellers, editors, and translators. That industry-focused lens gives the winners real weight for anyone following the trajectory of the medium. You can check out the full breakdown of nominees and read the original reporting over at Polygon.
Tags: Manga, Anime NYC, Culture, Publishing, Awards
Original article: Polygon