The awards recognise outstanding comic-books in the industry.
The 2025 iteration of the Harvey Awards, which recognises various titles in the comic-book industry, has recently revealed its list of nominees in various categories.
Besides awarding various books, sequential art, and comics across a variety of categories since its inception in 1988, the Harvey Awards have been recognising manga creations through the “Best Manga” award since 2018.
This year’s nominees, like in years past, were selected by a curated committee of industry professionals like creators, publishers, retailers, educators, and librarians. Winners will be chosen through voting until 2 September, 2025, and will be announced during New York Comic Con (NYCC). Further information is yet to be revealed.
Heavy-weight manga titles dominate “Best Manga” nominations
The nominated titles for “Best Manga” award are:
- The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All by Sumiko Arai; translated by Ajani Oloye (Yen Pres)
Yen Press describes the story as:
Fashionable and upbeat high schooler Aya loves listening to rock, but no one else seems to share her interest…until she meets a cool, stylish employee at a CD shop. Dressed in black from head to toe, he has this air of mystery about him, and his taste in music is impeccable. Aya falls hard for him—not knowing her crush is actually her female classmate Mitsuki! For her part, Mitsuki generally keeps to herself and avoids standing out at school. But given that she sits right next to Aya, Mitsuki’s all too aware of the other girl’s feelings, and she’s afraid to reveal the truth. So why does she find herself talking with Aya more and more…?
- The Summer Hikaru Died by Mokumokuren; translated by Ajani Oloye (Yen Pres)
The story is described as:
It has Hikaru’s face. It has Hikaru’s voice. It even has Hikaru’s memories. But whatever came down from the mountains six months ago isn’t Yoshiki’s best friend. Whatever it is, it’s dangerous. Carrying on at school and hanging out as if nothing has changed—as if Hikaru isn’t gone—would be crazy...but when it looks so very like Hikaru...and acts so very like Hikaru…
- Tokyo These Days by Taiyo Matsumotyo; translated by Michael Arias (Viz Media)
Viz Media describes the story as:
On his final day as an editor, Shiozawa takes a train he’s ridden hundreds of times to impart some last advice to a manga creator whose work he used to edit. Later, he is drawn to return to a bookshop at the request of a junior editor who wants his help dealing with an incorrigible manga creator who used to be edited by Shiozawa and now refuses to work with anyone else. For Shiozawa, Tokyo these days is full of memory and is cocooned in the inescapable bonds among manga creators, their editors, art, and life itself.
- Wind Breaker by Satoru Nii; translated by Jacqueline Fung (Kodansha Comics)
Kodansha describes the story as:
Haruka Sakura wants nothing to do with weaklings—he’s only interested in the strongest of the strong. He’s from Fuurin High School, a school of near-dropout degenerates known only for their brawling strength. And in a town known for its territorial disputes, Haruka’s got only one goal—become the hero his town deserves.
- Witch Hat Atelier by Kamome Shirahama; translated by Stephen Kohler (Kodansha Comics)
This isn't Witch Hat Atelier's first rodeo with the Harvey Awards; the series also won the Best Manga category in 2020, the story is described as:
In a world where everyone takes wonders like magic spells and dragons for granted, Coco is a girl with a simple dream: She wants to be a witch. But everybody knows magicians are born, not made, and Coco was not born with a gift for magic. Resigned to her un-magical life, Coco is about to give up on her dream to become a witch…until the day she meets Qifrey, a mysterious, traveling magician. After secretly seeing Qifrey perform magic in a way she’s never seen before, Coco soon learns what everybody “knows” might not be the truth, and discovers that her magical dream may not be as far away as it may seem…
