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And the Ballots are In!

Vertical — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:23:45 +0000

Congratulations are in store as three Vertical authors were honored this year for their contributions to literature and culture! Adding to an already substantial list of award winners (including seven Naoki Awards, two Akutagawa Prizes and three Eisners) authors Joh Sasaki, Kenzo Kitakata, and Kaoru Kurimoto join Osamu Tezuka picking up prizes in 2009-2010.

This year the Society for the Promotion of Japanese Literature awarded Japan’s highest literary honor the Naoki Prize to Joh Sasaki for his latest book Asking the Ruin (Haikyo ni Kou). The author of Zero Over Berlin now joins an all-star cast of Vertical authors—Keigo Higashino, Kaori Ekuni, Hideo Okuda, Mariko Koike, Natsuhiko Kyogoku, Arimasa Osawa, Asa Nonami—to be recognized as one of the best scribes in Japan today.

Kenzo Kitakata was awarded the 13th Japan Prize for Mystery Literature. The award established by Japanese publisher Koubunsha honors Kitakata’s contributions to the development of mystery fiction. Selected by critics, fellow writers, and the press, Kitakata continues to be placed in high regard within the world of genre fiction.

On a more somber note, last December the Science Fiction Writers of Japan paid tribute to a legend in the field of fantasy and science-fiction when they honored the late Kaoru Kurimoto’s Guin Saga with the Japan SF Special Prize at the 2009 Japanese Science Fiction Awards. Kurimoto’s magnum opus has been a staple of fantasy fiction since the SF premiered in 1980 and has inspired a generation of authors and artists in the field worldwide with her larger-than-life characters and inspired narratives.

So while the rest of the world prepares for the Oscars to close out the award season, Vertical is polishing up its bronzes and making space for more awards to come.

Dororo Wins 2009 Eisner for Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Japan

Vertical — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 16:00:47 +0000

Against incredible odds Osamu Tezuka’s Dororo took down a monster and got an Eisner Award!! Facing competition from some of Japan’s greatest cartoonists and storytellers, Friday night Vertical, Inc. accepted the award on behalf of Tezuka in San Diego. Critics and indsutry members alike acknowledged Tezuka’s warring era adventure as a must-read and praised the book for its universal appeal. Finally, after years of searching, Hyakkimaru has found another missing piece— the recognition of the comics industry!

Eisners and Harveys Honor Ode to Kirihito

Vertical — Tue, 05 Jun 2007 16:00:59 +0000

Osamu Tezuka’s legendary saga of a modern-day Odysseus fighting his away back home against incredible odds and obstacles garnered an Eisner Award nomination for Best Archival Collection and a Harvey Award nomination for Best American Edition of Foreign Material. The Eisner Award winners will be announced the evening of Friday, July 27 in conjunction with the 2007 Comic-Con International and the Harvey Award winners will be announced in conjunction with the 2007 Baltimore Comic-Con the evening of Saturday, September 8. For more information on Ode to Kirihito go to www.vertical-inc.com/books/kirihito.

Vertical does Tokyo

Vertical — Thu, 23 Feb 2006 16:00:55 +0000

Vertical’s president, editorial director and marketing director took a trip to Tokyo a couple weeks ago to celebrate the re-opening of their Japan-office, as well as to herald the recent Naoki Prize our author Keigo Higashino won. Check us out in action.

Parasite Eve now on sale

Vertical — Tue, 13 Dec 2005 16:00:49 +0000

After much anticipated waiting, the book that spawned a video game legend, Parasite Eve, has come out. The book, written by pharmacological expert Hideaki Sena, was the first to win the Japan Horror Award, and with the Koji Suzuki tome, represents the beginning of the J-horror boom as we know it.

Award-winning A Rabbit’s Eyes now available

Vertical — Tue, 11 Oct 2005 16:00:32 +0000

Kenjiro Haitani is the recipient of many awards for excellence in children fiction, including the Hans Christian Andersen Award. A Rabbit’s Eyes is Haitani’s ode to dedicated schoolteachers and is for direct purchase on our website or at a bookstore near you. Find out what The L.A. Times has called a “strange and powerful little novel.”

Buddha Vols. 3 and 4 win a second Eisner

Vertical — Thu, 28 Jul 2005 16:00:08 +0000

Beating incredible odds, the Buddha series won its second Eisner Award at the San Diego ComiCon on July 14. Scott McCloud presented the award to Vertical, adding, “this is truly a beautiful series that everyone should read.” Vertical Director of Marketing & Publicity, Anne Ishii, gladly accepted on behalf of Tezuka, noting that Japan’s manga-great is now joined by Will Eisner (the award’s namesake and progenitor of the Graphic Novel moniker) at ComiCon In The Sky.

Buddha wins 2005 Harvey Award

Vertical — Mon, 20 Jun 2005 16:00:59 +0000

Buddha was voted Best American Edition of Foreign Material by comics professionals who make up the Harvey Kurtzman Award voting commitee. This momentous occasion coincides with the release of our latest volume of the series, Ananda. The first two volumes of Buddha had already won the Eisner Award for Best Foreign Work, and its two subsequent volumes have just been nominated again! This makes the Buddha award count three, between the Harvey, Eisner, and ForeWord awards for excellence in graphic novels. Keep ‘em coming, Buddha fans.

Vertical’s Editor Gets an Award!

Vertical — Wed, 18 May 2005 16:00:26 +0000

Vertical Editorial Director Ioannis Mentzas accepts the S&R Washington Award, given annually to key members of the American arts worlds who have demonstrated an acute sense of the cross-cultural.

Buddha Wins Eisner Award!

Vertical — Thu, 29 Jul 2004 16:02:03 +0000

Buddha, Vols. 1 & 2 have won the Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of Foreign Material!

Buddha was up against some heavy contenders for the Eisner Award, and the audience was at a still hush when Stan Sakai announced Vertical’s landmark win. Chip Kidd and Anne Ishii accepted the award from Will Eisner himself, marking what Vertical hopes is just the beginning of Buddha‘s path to the top.