Machida-kun no sekai (The World of Machida-kun)

Machida-kun, the main character, is perceived by everybody to be quiet and serious almost to a fault. Yet in reality, his grades are below average; he neither has motor skills nor is good with machines, and outright clumsy. This work depicts this main character’s everyday life. He is deeply loved by everybody, although he himself has an inner inferiority complex. Reason being, he “loves people” and pours his unequivocal kindness to others. His words and actions gently fill voids in the hearts of those around him. This work allows us to feel the “kindness of people” by carefully depicting the world through his eyes. As the first serialization by the artist known for short pieces, and although a girl’s manga, this is enjoyable to both men and women.

While most of the nominations from girl’s manga were predominated by “handsome characters” for their readers, this work attracted the jury’s attention for introducing a new hero who isn’t good at studying or sports, but most importantly, loves people. Rather than a mere love story, the emphasis is placed on thoughtful capturing of the protagonist’s daily life. We can feel the powerful authorship that yearns to directly depict what she wants to express. On the eleventh year since ANDO’s debut, she has published only one two-volume manga and three collections of short pieces and this is her first serialization. I look forward to a great success from this unprolific artist as she continues to draw. (KADOKURA Shima)