Award-winning Works

Manga Division

Mainichi Kaasan:Kanihaha-hen
© SAIBARA Rieko
Excellence Prize

Mainichi Kaasan:
Kanihaha-hen

Story Manga

Artist : SAIBARA Rieko

(Japan)

Profile

SAIBARA Rieko

SAIBARA Rieko

Born in Kochi in 1964. After leaving Tosa Girl's High School, she was able to acquire the qualifications to proceed to higher education through a prep school; she went on to study at the Department of Visual Communication Design at Musashino Art University. Whilst attending prep school, she began to draw illustrations for adult books, and it was when she was a university student that she started her career as a manga writer. Her work BOKUNCHI (Shogakukan) won the 43rd Bunshun Manga Sho in 1997. She has also written many books, including YUNBOKUN (Takeshobo), URA-MICHELIN (a joint work for Asahi Shimbun), DEKIRUKANA (Fu- sosha), and JOKYO MONO-GATARI (Shogakukan).

Comment

This is first time for me to be given something other than a "punishment" from the government, and I gratefully accept it.

Reason for Award

This work presents scenes of daily life in a family, in a simple rounded style and almost as though a diary. The mother of the family drinks too much and works as a manga writer, whilst taking care of her ignorant children and hopeless husband. There is a laugh to be had on every page and through laughter the heart is warmed, yet the work somehow retains the power to sadden. This work is unique in the way it allows us to think both about what families are, and what humans are.