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00:07 The Japanese are famous for their love of manga.
00:16 There are manga covering almost every conceivable genre.
00:22 There's plenty of fantasy, stories of imaginary worlds.
00:26 Stories of young love and romance are immensely popular.
00:31 Manga help students grasp historical topics.
00:35 And for adults, manga illustrate ways to cope with work issues.
00:40 Old or young, male or female, whoever you are, there's sure to be a manga to suit your tastes.
00:49 Recently, manga made by foreign creators have become popular with Japanese audiences.
00:54 This is Åsa Eikström from Sweden.
00:58 Discovering manga as a young child changed her life.
01:04 That manga was Sailor Moon. I was amazed that such things even existed.
01:09 I'd always loved writing stories and drawing pictures.
01:12 And reading Sailor Moon started me thinking that I could create manga myself.
01:17 It was a revelation for me.
01:21 After coming to live in Japan, the first manga she created were simple four-frame stories.
01:28 These stories of her experiences in Japan caught the eye of a major publisher and won her a book contract.
01:37 Her debut books described excitement of first seeing the cherry blossoms,
01:44 adjusting to life in Japan, and making friends here.
01:50 Japanese readers liked seeing their own country through fresh eyes, and her books were a big hit.
02:00 Every year, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan holds an awards ceremony for overseas manga creators.
02:09 Manga are a unique Japanese development.
02:13 Because of the great importance it places on stories and scenarios,
02:17 the manga form really encourages and allows all kinds of creativity.
02:22 That's probably why it's become such a rich and diverse medium.
02:27 Manga have inspired creators worldwide. 383 entered for the awards this year.
02:37 The judges are all professional manga creators and editors themselves.
02:43 It's perfect. Design, backgrounds, layout, everything.
02:47 Wonderful.
02:49 This year, the 14th time the awards have been given,
02:52 first prize was won by Taiwanese manga creator Wei Li-Ju Ming.
02:58 You can see how passionate she has always been about the form.
03:00 Her bookshelves are lined with manga from Japan.
03:07 From reading manga, I learned how important it is to work hard to realize your dreams.
03:14 It's thanks to that I became a manga creator myself.
03:20 Previously, Wei Li had focused on making manga for teenagers.
03:25 This time, however, she tackled a more serious topic,
03:28 a meditation on the life of a mortician as she copes with her somber work.
03:34 The ultimate theme, how we face death.
03:39 Manga have a powerful emotional impact.
03:43 As I create a manga, I'm always fully emotionally involved.
03:47 And of course, I imagine readers also project their own feelings into the story as they read.
03:56 The prize-winning works are exhibited at the Kyoto International Manga Museum
04:00 and at the Yoshihiro Yonezawa Memorial Library of Manga and Subcultures in Tokyo.
04:09 There are no borders in the world of manga.
04:11 It doesn't care for differences in nationality or gender.
04:15 I encourage everyone thinking about becoming a creator to just get out there and do it.
04:20 Write, draw, make works that show your dreams.
04:24 Amaze the world with your creativity.
04:29 Entries for the Japan International Manga Awards are accepted from April to June.
04:35 Each year, the event showcases unique works from artists around the world.
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