Taiyo Matsumoto’s manga, “Tokyo These Days, Vol. 1,” has been honored with the Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the Graphic Novel/Comics category. The 45th annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes ceremony, held at USC’s Bovard Auditorium, recognized outstanding literary achievements across 13 categories.
Celebrating Literary Excellence
The Los Angeles Times Book Prizes, founded in 1980, celebrate the highest quality of writing from authors at all stages of their careers. The awards recognize books published in English in the prior year, with judges from diverse backgrounds, including authors, librarians, journalists, and academics.
This year’s ceremony also honored Pico Iyer with the Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement and Amanda Gorman with the Innovator’s Award for her work promoting literacy and empowering youth.
“Tokyo These Days, Vol. 1”: A Masterpiece Recognized
“Tokyo These Days, Vol. 1” was one of five titles nominated in the Graphic Novel/Comics category. Matsumoto’s previous work, “GoGo Monster,” was also nominated for the same award in 2009. VIZ Media, the publisher of the English edition, congratulated Matsumoto on the win.
Matsumoto expressed his surprise and gratitude, thanking readers outside Japan for enjoying his work. He also acknowledged the “enjoyable and wonderful experience” of creating the manga and thanked the LA Times Book Prize, VIZ, Shogakukan, his editors, and the manga’s English translator, Michael Arias.
Other Nominees and Winners
Besides Matsumoto’s win, other notable winners at the 2024 Los Angeles Times Book Prizes included:
- Achievement in Audiobook Production: Dominic Hoffman (narrator) and Linda Korn (producer) for “James: A Novel”
- Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction: Jiaming Tang for “Cinema Love: A Novel”
- Biography: Laura Beers for “Orwell’s Ghosts: Wisdom and Warnings for the Twenty-First Century”
- Christopher Isherwood Prize for Autobiographical Prose: Emily Witt for “Health and Safety: A Breakdown”
- Current Interest: Jesse Katz for “The Rent Collectors: Exploitation, Murder, and Redemption in Immigrant LA”
- Fiction: Jennine Capó Crucet for “Say Hello to My Little Friend: A Novel”
- History: Andrea Freeman for “Ruin Their Crops on the Ground: The Politics of Food in the United States, From the Trail of Tears to School Lunch”
- Mystery/Thriller: Danielle Trussoni for “The Puzzle Box: A Novel”
- Poetry: Remica Bingham-Risher for “Room Swept Home”
- Science Fiction, Fantasy & Speculative Fiction: Kelly Link for “The Book of Love: A Novel”
- Science & Technology: Rebecca Boyle for “Our Moon: How Earth’s Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are”
- Young Adult Literature: Kim Johnson for “The Color of a Lie”
About Taiyo Matsumoto and “Tokyo These Days”
Taiyo Matsumoto is a highly acclaimed manga artist known for his unique style and compelling storytelling. “Tokyo These Days” was serialized in Shogakukan’s Big Comic Original Zokan from June 12, 2019, to June 12, 2023, with three tankobon volumes released.
VIZ Media describes the synopsis of the first volume as:
In a rapidly changing Tokyo, where the old gives way to the new, a unique connection forms between a man returning to his childhood home and a mysterious boy he encounters.
The manga was also nominated for the 27th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2023 and again in 2024 for the 28th edition of the prize.
The Significance of the Award
The Los Angeles Times Book Prize is a significant recognition in the literary world, highlighting exceptional works and authors. Matsumoto’s win underscores the growing appreciation for manga and graphic novels as important forms of storytelling and artistic expression. It also acknowledges Matsumoto’s talent and contribution to the medium.
