The finalists for the 28th Osamu Tezuka Cultural Award "Manga Grand Prize" sponsored by the Asahi Shimbun have been announced. The following 10 works were nominated.

＜Manga Grand Prize Finalists (in alphabetical order, titles omitted)

Diary of a Different Country" by Tomoko Yamashita (Shodensha)
Akasaka Aka and Mengo Yokojari (Shueisha)
Kanda Goracho Shokunin Banbunsha" SAKAGAMI Akihito (Lido Publishing Co., Ltd.)
Saturn Return" Akane Torikai (Shogakukan)
The Circle and the Shu" by Fumi YOSHINAGA (Shueisha)
Blood Ruts" by Shuzo Oshimi (Shogakukan)
The Life of Natsuko Tsuyukusa" Miri Masuda (Shinchosha)
Tokyo Higoro" Taiyo Matsumoto (Shogakukan)
Pliny the Elder" Mari Yamazaki, Miki Tori (Shinchosha)
Bokuchitsu Shin no Yakata no Yakata" by Nazuna Saito (Shogakukan)

The target was manga works published or released in 2023, and the selection was based on votes by seven outside selection committee members and recommendations from manga professionals, booksellers, and the general public. The top vote-getter in terms of total recommendations was "[Suishin no ko]" ("The Child of Suishin"). The 28th Selection Committee members are as follows

Osamu Akimoto (manga artist), Machiko Satonaka (manga artist), Minami Takahashi (TV personality), Shohei Nakajo (Professor, Department of French-speaking Culture, Gakushuin University), Yukiko Tomiyama (writer, Associate Professor, Tohoku University of Art & Design), Nobunaga Minami (manga commentator), Taro Yabe (comedian, manga artist) *Honorific titles omitted

Yoshiyoshi Miyata (Executive Officer, Editorial) and Katsunao Kita (Head of Culture Department, Tokyo Head Office) from within the Asahi Shimbun

After the final selection committee meeting, the Shinsei Prize, Short Award, and Special Award will be announced around late April in the morning edition of the Asahi Shimbun newspaper, the Asahi Shimbun digital edition, and press releases.

＜What is the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Award? ＞The Tezuka Osamu Cultural Award was established in 1997 by the Asahi Shimbun in cooperation with Tezuka Productions to commemorate the achievements of Osamu Tezuka, who played a major role in the development and improvement of Japanese manga culture, and to contribute to the healthy development of manga culture by following in his footsteps. In addition to the Manga Grand Prize, which is awarded to the most outstanding work of the year, there are also the Shinsei Award, Short Story Award, and Special Award, and a statue of Astro Boy (created by Hiroshi Yokoyama) and prize money are presented.
Official site: https://www.asahi.com/corporate/award/tezuka/