Non-fiction Manga 'Manga Ishibumi' Wins 55th Japan Cartoonists Association Award Grand Prize in Manga Division

Poplar Publishing Co., Ltd. announced today that 'Manga Ishibumi: When the Atomic Bomb Fell, We Looked at the Sky' (Original by Hiroshima Television, Manga by Machio Same), published in July 2025, has won the 55th Japan Cartoonists Association Award Grand Prize in the Manga Division. Last year marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the war. As war survivors age and the transmission of memories becomes a major challenge, this book portrays the precious records of first-year students of Hiroshima Second Junior High School, who were completely wiped out by the atomic bomb, using the medium of manga. The streets of Hiroshima before the atomic bombing, the people who lived there, the junior high school students who were exposed to the bomb about 500 meters from the hypocenter, the tragic reality of the damage, parents desperately searching for their children, children who returned home, and those who did not... Each individual's story is depicted calmly, respecting the facts, making it a deeply moving work. The original work, 'Ishibumi: Record of the Annihilation of Hiroshima Second Junior High School First-Year Students' (Poplar Pocket Bunko), has been read for over 55 years since its publication in 1970. It is based on the program 'Hi' broadcast nationwide by Hiroshima Television in 1969. Machio Same, the manga artist, provided a comment stating his initial hesitation but accepted the offer to explore new expressive media for continued readership. He committed to not reinterpreting or altering the text, which is based on interviews with bereaved families. The Japan Cartoonists Association Award, established in 1972, is a prestigious award in the manga world, open to all genres, professionals, and amateurs. 'Manga Ishibumi' won in the Manga Division. Hiroshima Television, established in 1962, continues to send messages against nuclear weapons. Machio Same, a manga artist who debuted in 2009, is known for works focusing on daily nuances, seasons, and objects.