Atsuko Asano 35th Anniversary 'Character Popularity Poll' Starts Today! Voting Open Until July 31, 2026

KADOKAWA Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Takeshi Natsuno) is holding a reader-voted 'Character Popularity Poll' from May 22 (Fri) to July 31 (Fri), 2026, to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Atsuko Asano, the novelist behind moving works such as 'Battery' and 'NO.6.'

Voting Scope All characters appearing in any work by Atsuko Asano published by May 2026.

Voting Period May 22, 2026 (Fri) – July 31, 2026 (Fri) 23:59 JST

How to Vote Please answer the following items via the dedicated URL: - Your favorite characters (1st to 3rd place) - Your most favorite Atsuko Asano work - Reason for your selection - Questions for Atsuko Asano - Messages for Atsuko Asano

The poll results are scheduled to be announced this winter in the 'Atsuko Asano 35th Anniversary Commemorative Guidebook (working title).'

A selection of the questions and messages collected will also be featured in the book, with a chance to receive a reply from the author herself.

【Author Profile: Atsuko Asano】 Born in Okayama Prefecture. Debuted in 1991 with 'Hotarukan Monogatari.' Her 'Battery' series won numerous awards including the 35th Noma Prize for Children's Literature and the 54th Shogakukan Children's Publication Culture Award. In 2024, she received the 13th Japan Historical and Period Fiction Writers Association Series Award for the 'Miroku' and other series. Other major works include the 'NO.6' and 'The MANZAI' series.