Ana Oncina’s Only Friends has earned a Silver Prize in the annual Manga Awards sponsored by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The award announcement, issued by the Japanese government, highlights how graphic storytelling is enriching cross-cultural dialogue. This year’s selections showcase a diverse group of creators offering fresh takes on manga aesthetics from around the world. The Silver Prize stands among two other notable recognitions, reinforcing the strength of contemporary international comics and their ability to connect with readers across cultures.
The top honor, a Gold Award, was awarded to Wind Hunter Under the Blue Sky, a title by Jason Chien from Taiwan. A record 587 works from 82 countries and regions were submitted, signaling broad participation and a high level of storytelling across continents. The ceremony is slated to take place in Tokyo in March 2024, with several artists invited to celebrate and engage with fans and peers from around the globe. The field featured strong representation from Africa, with artists from Ethiopia, Comoros, Senegal, and Rwanda among those recognized for their compelling narratives and craftsmanship in visual storytelling.
great victory
Only Friends, released in 2021, marks Ana Oncina’s debut with a manga-influenced style and storytelling approach. The creator, known for works such as Croquettes and Empanadilla, has built a reputation for energetic adventures and audience engagement. Earlier recognitions include the Audience Award at the Barcelona International Comic Fair in 2015 and again in 2014. In 2017, Oncina appeared on Forbes’ list of Europe’s most influential creators under 30, a reflection of growing international visibility. In recent years she has published further stories and collaborated on projects with Planeta Manga and other publishers, contributing to a steady stream of illustrated narratives for a broad readership. A selection of shorter pieces from the winning entry Just Friends appears in this feature and provides a glimpse into the emotional core of the work, centering on Erika and Emi and their memories from adolescence, the passage of time, and the enduring pull of first love. The author continues to blend narrative storytelling with illustration, a traditional strength of graphic literature, while exploring new themes and formats for contemporary readers.
Some short stories from the winning entry Just Friends are presented here to offer a sense of the mood and character development that define this work by Ana Oncina.
The book follows the story of Erika and Emi, two women who meet at a summer camp in their youth and later navigate memory, longing, and the persistence of shared moments. The artist also works as an illustrator for publishing houses, bringing a vivid visual language to a variety of projects and audiences. The Manga Awards were established by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2007 to recognize foreign creators who help spread Japanese culture and foster cultural exchange through manga. The program underscores the cross-cultural power of graphic storytelling and its ability to bridge differences through shared human experiences.
Ana Oncina appears on Forbes’ list of Europe’s most influential artists
The edition featured a panel led by a renowned mangaka and included a discussion of several works from Tunisia and Hong Kong as part of the awards process. The prize categories continue to celebrate a mix of established voices and emerging talents from across the globe. Previous European recipients of the award include noted Spanish creators who have contributed to the international comics scene, reflecting a long-standing tradition of cross-border collaboration and storytelling excellence.