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We often have something of a bias in the West when it comes to manga, but the medium is full of remarkable stories in a variety of genres. The slice of life genre, for example, is one that is filled with excellent stories that are gaining traction around the world. One remarkable story about a bookshop owner and his interactions with his customers, Hon Nara Uru Hodo, just won the prestigious Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in Japan.

Named for the iconic creator of Astro Boy and many other popular manga, the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize has been awarded to some of the most popular and influential titles and creators in the industry over the years. Berserk, Fullmetal Alchemist, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, and Orb: On the Movements of the Earth have all received prizes honoring their work, which puts creator Ao Kojima in some remarkable company.

Hon Nara Uru Hodo hasn’t had an official English release, which is a shame because the concept of it is enough to make us want to dive into its cozy world. Rather than a big, overarching plot, this manga is episodic. It follows a small bookstore and the laidback young man who runs it. Each story focuses on a new customer who comes into the shop and leaves changed in some way. Hon Nara Uru Hodo has already won several prizes since it began serialization in 2023. Now it can add the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize to that list.

And if any publishers are reading this, we’d love to see an English release. Just saying.

Each week, Popverse's resident anime expert Trent Cannon runs down the latest and, dare we say "greatest," in anime and manga in Popverse Jump. Some recent columns have included... 

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