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Manga Taishō winners 2017–2026: Frieren, Blue Period, Beastars and more
The Darwin Incident
ダーウィン事変
Set in the United States, it follows Charlie, a "humanzee" born from a human and a chimpanzee. It won the 15th Manga Taishō in 2022.
AuthorShun Umezawa
PublisherKodansha
MagazineMonthly Afternoon
Serialized2020–present
Volumes11 (as of June 2026)
AwardManga Taishō 2022 grand prize (74 points)
What is it about?
Charlie is a genetically engineered human-chimpanzee hybrid, raised with love by a chimpanzee researcher and a lawyer. When he starts high school, he is stared at and singled out, but he forms a friendship with a brilliant girl named Lucy.
Why it stands out
The series asks hard questions about what it means to be human and who gets rights, through tense events involving an animal-liberation group. By May 2024 it had over 1.6 million copies in circulation, and an anime adaptation aired from January to April 2026.
Who will like it
Readers who want a thriller that also makes them think. Note that it includes violent scenes.