Manga Taishō winners 2017–2026: Frieren, Blue Period, Beastars and more

The Manga Taishō is chosen by booksellers and manga lovers who vote for the series they most want to recommend. Here are the ten grand-prize winners from 2017 to 2026, newest first.

The Manga Taishō has been held every year since 2008, with votes from bookstore staff and other manga fans.

Winners and point totals come from the Japanese Wikipedia article on the award, checked on October 25, 2026. Volume counts are as of the date given in each work's article.

Manga Taishō 2026 winner

1. Hon Nara Uru Hodo

KADOKAWA・Ao Kojima

A secondhand bookshop called Jūgatsudō, its customers, and the connections a single book can create. It won the 19th Manga Taishō in 2026.

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Manga Taishō 2025 winner

2. Alice, All the Way to Outer Space

小学館 / Shogakukan・Kiko Urino

A girl sets her sights on becoming Japan's first female astronaut commander. It won the Manga Taishō in 2025.

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Manga Taishō 2024 winner

3. Spacewalking with You

講談社 / Kodansha・Inuhiko Doronoda

Two high schoolers who find everyday life hard team up to get through it, and to enjoy it. It won the 17th Manga Taishō in 2024.

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Manga Taishō 2023 winner

4. Draw This, Then Die!

小学館 / Shogakukan・Minoru Toyoda

A high school girl on a remote island starts a manga club and throws herself into making comics. It won the 16th Manga Taishō in 2023.

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Manga Taishō 2022 winner

5. The Darwin Incident

講談社 / Kodansha・Shun Umezawa

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.

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Manga Taishō 2021 winner

6. Frieren: Beyond Journey's End

小学館 / Shogakukan・Story: Kanehito Yamada / Art: Tsukasa Abe

What happens after the hero's party defeats the Demon King, seen through the eyes of the elf mage Frieren. It won the 14th Manga Taishō in 2021.

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Manga Taishō 2020 winner

7. Blue Period

講談社 / Kodansha・Tsubasa Yamaguchi

A high school student discovers the joy of painting and sets out to get into art school. It won the 13th Manga Taishō in 2020.

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Manga Taishō 2019 winner

8. Astra Lost in Space

集英社 / Shueisha・Kenta Shinohara

A group of students stranded in deep space try to make it home together. In 2019 it became the first web manga to win the Manga Taishō.

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Manga Taishō 2018 winner

9. Beastars

秋田書店 / Akita Shoten・Paru Itagaki

In a world where anthropomorphic carnivores and herbivores live side by side, students at a boarding school navigate the divide between them. It won the Manga Taishō in 2018.

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