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Hey manga friends,
August is here and while I’m still recovering from the emotionally reeling from the Vinland Saga finale (yes, still), it’s time to turn our attention to something a bit more celebratory: the Eisner Awards 2025.
If you’ve never heard of them, the Eisners are basically the Oscars of the comic world. They’re handed out every year at San Diego Comic-Con and celebrate outstanding comics, graphic novels and of course manga.
Let’s be honest. Award shows can be tricky. Sometimes your favorite title doesn’t even get a nomination and other times a totally unexpected winner takes the spotlight. But this year? I was kind of impressed. I found myself nodding through most of the manga picks thinking, yep, that one deserves it. Sure, I had a couple of why-wasn’t-this-nominated moments, but overall it was a strong lineup.
The award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia went to Taiyo Matsumoto. And honestly, I couldn’t be happier. Matsumoto’s manga hit differently. They’re strange and poetic and a little wild, but also deeply moving. So in this newsletter I want to introduce you to some of his work. From this year’s Eisner winner to cult classics to some hidden gems you may have missed.
And if you’re still curious about all the other amazing Eisner Award 2025 nominees, you can find the full list right here:
Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia
So, who is Taiyo Matsumoto anyway?
If you’ve never picked up one of his manga, let me introduce you to one of the most unique voices in the industry. Taiyo Matsumoto doesn’t really fit in and that’s what makes his work so special. His art style is rough, sketchy and expressive. You won’t find shiny clean lines or polished beauty, but you will find raw emotion and storytelling that hits you right in the chest. His style is influenced by artists like Katsuhiro Otomo and French comics. It’s bold, loose and packed with feeling.
Matsumoto has received multiple major awards for his work, including the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize and several Eisner Awards. His stories move between gritty realism and surreal imagery, but they always stay grounded in something deeply human.
He rarely spells anything out. Instead, he invites you to feel your way through the story. And somehow, even when you’re not sure exactly what’s happening (you get that a lot with Matsumoto), you know it matters.
Tekkonkinkreet
Let’s rewind for a second. Before Tokyo These Days won the Eisner this year, Matsumoto had already picked one up in 2008 with Tekkonkinkreet.
Tekkonkinkreet (a play on "Tekkin Konkurīto" meaning "reinforced concrete") is a wild ride through the chaotic, crumbling streets of Treasure Town. The story follows two kids, Black and White, as they rule the chaotic streets of Treasure Town. One is violent and wild, the other soft and dreamy. Together they try to protect their city and each other from the world around them.
It’s surreal, intense, heartbreaking and absolutely beautiful. The city feels alive and the story cuts deep. If you want to see where Matsumoto’s global fame really started, this is the one.
Tekkonkinkreet: Black & White 30th Anniversary Edition HC
€35,99
€39,99
In the somewhere-sprawl of Treasure Town, two young boys, Black and White, rule the streets. Like avatars of the city itself, they are its will and its voice, full of love and compassion, as well as danger and violence. As… read more
Cats of the Louvre
Back in 2020, there was a tie at the Eisner Awards between Witch Hat Atelier and Cats of the Louvre. Two completely different vibes, both equally magical in their own right. But Cats of the Louvre? That one is pure Matsumoto weirdness wrapped in elegance.
At night, the Louvre isn’t just a museum. It’s a liminal space where time blurs and paintings breathe. And somewhere between the art and the silence, a colony of cats has made its home.
What begins as a whimsical tale about feline wanderers quickly turns into something surreal, poetic, and deeply human. You get reflections on memory, loss, escape, and art itself, all told through the eyes of both people and cats. Matsumoto leans all the way into the dreamlike, with soft pencil lines and washed-out tones that feel like walking through a forgotten dream. It’s not a fast read, and it’s definitely not loud. If you're in the mood for something gentle, strange, and a bit melancholy, Cats of the Louvre is your perfect next read.
Cats Of The Louvre Manga HC
€28,50
The world-renowned Louvre museum in Paris contains more than just the most famous works of art in history. At night, within its darkened galleries, an unseen and surreal world comes alive-a world witnessed only by the small family of cats… read more
Ping Pong
You probably thought we’d continue with another Eisner winner. But surprise, Ping Pong didn’t win. It was nominated in 2021 but didn’t take home the prize. To be fair, I didn’t love the winner that year.
Even aside from that, I think Ping Pong deserved more love. We follow two childhood friends, Smile and Peco, as they navigate the brutal world of high school table tennis. One plays to win, the other plays to avoid hurting people. But the deeper you go, the more you realize this isn’t a sports manga. Matsumoto’s art in Ping Pong is more raw than ever. It's full of motion, emotion, and those wonderful weird angles that make the action feel like it’s leaping off the page. It’s less about beauty and more about impact. You feel the ball smash, the sweat drip, the self-doubt creep in.
Whether or not you care about sports, this is a story about ambition, anxiety, friendship, and growing the hell up. And that’s something we can all relate to.
Ping Pong GN Vol 01 - Taiyo Matsumoto
€26,99
€29,99
Makoto "Smile" Tsukimoto and his friend Yutaka "Peco" Hoshino have been playing table tennis since they were kids, but as they enter high school, they find that the game has changed. Seeing potential in them that they themselves don't fully… read more
Tokyo These Days
And here we are – back to the reason we started this whole thing: Tokyo These Days, the Eisner Award winner in 2025. It’s a quiet, introspective manga about an aging manga editor, trying to make peace with a changing industry, his past, and himself. It’s slower, more subdued than some of Matsumoto’s earlier works, but that doesn’t make it any less powerful. Quite the opposite.
The story follows Yukiko, a former editor now living alone in Tokyo. Through small moments, old memories, and new connections, we see her wrestle with a creative life that didn’t go the way she once imagined. It's full of subtle melancholy, quiet resilience, and deep emotion. The kind of manga you close and just... sit with for a while.
If Ping Pong was high-speed adrenaline, Tokyo These Days is a gentle conversation over tea. And honestly? This win was well deserved.
Tokyo These Days Vol. 1: Viz Signature Edition HC
€25,20
€28,00
On his last day as an editor, Shiozawa takes a train he's ridden hundreds of times before to impart some last advice to a manga creator whose work he used to edit. Some time after, he is drawn to return… read more
Tokyo These Days Vol. 2: Viz Signature Edition HC
€25,20
€28,00
After 30 years as a manga editor, Kazuo Shiozawa suddenly quits. Although he feels early retirement is the only way to atone for his failures as an editor, the manga world isn’t done with him.… read more
Tokyo These Days Vol. 3: Viz Signature Edition HC
€25,20
€28,00
After 30 years as a manga editor, Kazuo Shiozawa suddenly quits. Although he feels early retirement is the only way to atone for his failures as an editor, the manga world isn’t done with him.… read more
Other Matsumoto Manga to check out!
If you’ve made it this far and are still hungry for more Matsumoto magic, here are two more titles worth checking out.
- No. 5 is perfect if you're in the mood for something really layered, cryptic and just plain weird in the best way.
- GoGo Monster is a beautifully strange school story about a boy who sees things no one else can.
So, Pre-Orders...
While we wait for the next Matsumoto release - or maybe a reprint - here’s a little story. I once spotted Blue Spring (one of his older works) on eBay for a super nice starting price, added it to my watchlist and… totally forgot about it. Someone got it for 3 Euros (like 2,62 GBP). Three! What a steal.
I eventually got lucky when the German edition came out, but fingers crossed for an English reprint soon. Until then, let me highlight another exciting comeback.
Mushishi is coming back! I already own the German version, but let’s be honest: this series is so special, I’ll be picking up the English one too. Of course. Mushishi blends folklore, nature, and quiet philosophy in a way few other manga do.
A few more pre-order gems
If you're in the mood to treat yourself, here are some amazing pre-orders:
- Fruits Basket The Complete Box Set – the full emotional journey, ready to binge
- Akira Hardcover Collection – a must-have for collectors and cyberpunk lovers
- Sailor Moon Box Set 2 (Naoko Takeuchi Collection) – because you can never have too much magical girl power
And of course that’s not all. Check out everything that’s up for grabs right here:
That’s all for this month
Whether you're chilling in the sun or hiding in the shade with a cold drink and your favorite series, I hope you discover something new and unforgettable.
Happy reading and see you next time!
Kerstin
