Written by Daniel
A nerd from day one, who will talk about his love for fiction and printed stories for hours!
On July 25th, fans, nerds and geeks around the world will once again celebrate the very best in Comics and Manga. From brilliant stories to talented writers and incredible artists, every single aspect of our beloved stories will be honored during the Eisner Awards 2025.
While my dear friends Matheus and Petar already shed some light on the ‘Best New Series Nominees’, I will present to you the nominees for “Best U.S. Edition of International Material – Asia”! We have some strong contestants this year, which range from old classics, which were revived in a beautiful new hardcover collection, to rising stars.
This article will not only help you to get a quick glimpse of what these stories and editions have to offer, but it could also help you predict, which one of these amazing stories will receive this praised award!
Without further ado… the nominees are…
Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow
We all know that life is not always easy. Sometimes it really punches you down onto your knees, making you feel like standing up this time will be much harder than usual. Whenever I feel like this, I like to motivate myself with stories that make me feel like I can reach any goal or dream as long as I keep fighting. One of these stories is a massive cultural phenomenon that inspired college students and the working class in Japan from 1968 to 1973. While this is an older story from a different time, Ashita no Joe: Fighting for Tomorrow relives its glory thanks to the fact that it is now available in English for the first time! And Kodansha is going all out by presenting this classic by Asao Takamori and Tetsuya Chiba in a beautiful hardcover edition that will collect the series in 8 volumes.
What is Ashita No Joe: Fighting For Tomorrow about?
Joe Yabuki is your typical street fighter. He wanders the streets aimlessly and picks fights with people that he encounters. However, he wouldn’t have thought that one encounter with a failed boxer would change his life completely. This failed boxer sees something in Joe, which he never saw in himself: potential. The two men bond over the love of boxing and train to bring Joe to the very top!
While this sounds like a typical Manga about a sport and trying to become the very best at it, it is far more than that. It is a cultural phenomenon that encapsulates the reality of the 60s and 70s for many young people in Japan, who dreamt of becoming more than life had in store for them at the time.
So if you love the old classics, stories about underdogs, boxing and chasing your dreams or even stories that show realistic depictions of another time, then this Manga is definitely something you should give a try.
You can pick up the first two volumes right now and even pre-order the third right away!
- Ashita No Joe: Fighting For Tomorrow 1 HC
- Ashita No Joe: Fighting For Tomorrow 2 HC
- Ashita No Joe: Fighting For Tomorrow 3 *PRE-ORDER*
Hereditary Triangle
Let us move on to the next big topic of life: LOVE!
In Hereditary Triangle by Fumiya Hayashi and published by Yen Press in a beautiful hardcover All-in-One edition, we meet Koutarou, Kajiwara, and Fuyuko, three friends that thought that they would always be friends. Although this seems relatable for most of us, their youth wasn’t drama-free. The two boys were always fighting over who would date Fuyuko, which created a strange love triangle. However one day Kajiwara goes missing, and the love triangle dissolves. Koutarou marries Fuyuko and they live happily ever after.
Or do they?
Years after his disappearance, Koutarou and Fuyuko visit Kajiwara’s hometown, where memories come rushing back. The question arises, if Fuyoko would have chosen to marry Koutarou if Kajiwara would have still been around.
A concept and situation that is so intriguing and thrilling that you may question some moments in your life as well. And on top of that, you can enjoy Hereditary Triangle in one sitting. Just the perfect read for a cozy Sunday evening, especially before the Eisner Awards!
Kagurabachi
“Chihiro from Kagurabachi defeats Goku easily!” or “Kagurabachi is the best Manga to ever exist!”, were two of the many memes and statements that were spread across the internet, weeks before Kagurabachi was even released in 2023.
As the memes spread, the anticipation did as well! Thus, there must have been a lot of pressure on the Mangaka Takeru Hokazono, who had never wrote a Manga before and was just 23 at the time. Nonetheless, the hype was there, and understandably, the people wanted to see what the fuss was all about. Now, 2 years later, we can already read 3 volumes of this story about revenge and a lot of swords thanks to Viz!
So, is it just another revenge story with swords?
Well yes, but it is not something to diminish!
Chihiro and his father lived a happy and peaceful life. While his cheerful father worked as a swordsmith, Chihiro, a rather quiet boy, trained every day to become a swordsmith too!
Although different in temperament, this small family was happy!
Until… one fateful day…
Now, Chihiro is filled with nothing but hate and sets out to take revenge on those who have murdered his father, stopping at nothing and no one! With the help of his magical sword, Chihiro may uncover more than just the murder of his father!
While the memes were first born out of a joke that the main character and the story seem generic, the Manga now has a stable fanbase that regularly enjoys the weekly chapters.
While not everyone may enjoy the classic Shonen story with a lot of action, if this is something you like, Kagurabachi is a must-read and just at the beginning – so perfect to be one of the OG’s! :P
I certainly did enjoy the over-the-top action à la John Wick and will definitely keep reading this series, especially if it keeps getting deeper and more meaningful, which is getting prominent more and more.
Last Quarter
Before Ai Yazawa reached international success with Nana and Paradise Kiss, she already was successful with another story of hers that is finally available in English.
In Last Quarter we meet Mizuki Mochizuki, a 17-year-old high school student who is struggling with the remarriage of her father and with a cheating ex-boyfriend. Her despair finally ends when she meets a British musician called Adam, who she is instantly drawn to. She starts avoiding everyone and only spends time with him at an abandoned mansion.
However, two weeks into their relationship, Adam reveals that he has to go by sunrise. Mizuki follows him, and tragedy strikes! The question now is… how far will Mizuki go to find Adam again?
This story will take you on a crazy journey unlike Nana and Paradise Kiss but with the same charm and style of Ai Yazawa. The story is romantic, mysterious and also quite supernatural. Thus, if this is something you may enjoy or if you want to read something new from the Mangaka of Nana, you should dive straight into this short but heavy story!
Search and Destroy
We talked enough about classics and newcomers, so let’s mix this up!
Imagine you take a classic from way back and give it a science fiction makeover – what would happen? You would get ‘Search and Destroy’ by Atsushi Kaneko, which is a science fiction retelling of the classic manga series and Eisner-Award-winning Dororo by Osamu Tezuka. Can that work?
While Dororo took place in a feudal Japan, Search and Destroy takes us into a dystopian future where mercenary robots called “creatures” serve the elite. This death ultimately leads to a surprising connection between an orphaned thief called Doro and a mysterious girl who hides cybernetic implants under an animal hide. But this is not the weird part…
How is this girl killing the most powerful creatures one by one, and how is this connected to Doro?
Find out in this short series that will be concluded in September this year with Volume 3! However, you do not have to wait! Volumes 1 and 2 are already out and ready for you to be read.
While retellings are always a tricky thing, Search and Destroy really profited from this and was able to explore a classic tale in a new style. This story about rage against injustice, exploitation and how wronged children are in this future, really strikes you in your gut.
It is one of the most visually pleasing and unique things you can read right now. I also would go as far as saying that this is one of the best science fiction stories I have read in a while!
If you are into stories about revenge and injustice, and if you love science fiction, then this is a must read!
Tokyo These Days
Taiyo Matsumoto… Gosh… Whenever I am able to read a story of this amazing Mangaka, I am always blown away by his unique and beautiful art and his amazing way of telling stories. Ping Pong or GoGo Monster are considered to be two of the best Manga out there, although quite niche in a way. So, is his most recent concluded Manga, available in three beautiful hardcover editions by Viz, also this good? YEEEES!
On his last day as an editor, Shiozawa takes a small trip to a Mangaka whose work he used to edit. He just wants to give him a few last pieces of advice to finish this part of his life properly. However, some time after this, he is requested by a junior editor at a bookshop who needs Shiozawa’s help with a Mangaka who refuses to work with anyone but him – which is not surprising. For Shiozawa, Tokyo these days is filled with memories of happier times and represents an inseparable bond between Mangaka, editors, art and even life itself.
This short but emotionally-gripping Manga will take you on a journey about what it means to create art and how it is always connected to the beauty surrounding us. For me, someone who loves to create art through words, I was immediately hooked and couldn’t stop reading. Even days after I finished this series, I was drawn back daily to the lessons that this story taught me. Additionally, this Manga offered me an amazing look into the world of writing Manga and the life in Japan, which is as authentic as printed media can get.
If you are an artist, a writer or any other type of creative person, then you should check out this masterpiece! Even if you have never tried a Manga before, or even if you are scared that you may not get everything because you haven’t read Manga a lot, do not shy away! This is far more than Manga and will definitely be something for everyone – no matter if you love Manga or not! :D
- Tokyo These Days Vol. 1: Viz Signature Edition HC
- Tokyo These Days Vol. 2: Viz Signature Edition HC
- Tokyo These Days Vol. 3: Viz Signature Edition HC
The Real Winner is…
As you can see, the Nominees for this year consist of a lot of different genres, styles and are also from a lot of different time periods. We are ranging from cult classics to newcomers, which will make it difficult to find the perfect winner. And although everyone may have their own favorite or anticipated winner, one thing I can say for certain: We are able to enjoy so many incredible stories from different genres by talented writers and unbelievable artists, which makes us, the readers, the real winners of this year’s Eisner Award!
It's time to fill your shopping carts and start reading one, two, or all of these amazing stories during this festive time :D
