2011 Awards – Part Two

Don’t miss part one of the 2011 Shonen Beam Awards!

Best Fight

Kazu vs. Nike (Air Gear)

Shonen encompasses many genres, each with their own unique scenarios and specialties, but ultimately, it’s all about fighting. From martial arts to magic, from swordsman to Saiyan, good fights are the essence of good shonen. Many battles were contested in 2011, but none were as artistic, intricate, or powerful as the fight between Kazu, the overmatched underdog who could do nothing but rely on his allies, and Nike, the terrifyingly flawless specimen of combat perfection. Some fights are made great by the weight of the storyline that they carry into their climax, but this fight needed no such support; in fact, it easily overcame the handicap of the incomprehensible Air Gear plot. The story told during the fight itself is one of growth and discovery for each fighter, albeit in completely different ways and directions, and such a pure story of humanity matched perfectly with the brilliant action. Most of all, though, this was yet another example of the unmatched drawing ability of Oh! great, whose magnificent choreography and fluid style made the movements of the characters come to life. Between the gorgeous art, scintillating action, and the use of a naked lady as a weapon, this fight had everything to stand out as the best of 2011, and one that would hold up any year.

Honorable mention: Ippo vs. Kojima (Hajime no Ippo)

Most Improved Series

Bleach

This award might seem a bit backhanded, given that Bleach was practically guaranteed to improve after the catastrophe that was Aizen in 2010. However, 2011 saw Bleach head in a completely new direction, abandoning its reliance on crude plot twists and linear strength upgrades and instead focusing on developing a core group of solid characters with interesting abilities. Central to the series’ reversal of fortune was the introduction of a legitimate villain, Tsukishima Shuukurou, whose ability to insert himself into anyone’s past turned Ichigo’s friends and allies against him, and turned our popular and reliable protagonist into a paranoid mess. Certainly, Fullbring powers are more than a slight nod to other series, most notably JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and Hunter x Hunter, but such diverse talents and clever matchups were worth any homage paid. This new style of Bleach may not have been well received by its dedicated fanbase, but Kubo’s willingness to experiment with a proven formula is laudable, and it resulted in unquestionably his best arc.

Honorable mention: Hajime no Ippo

Worst Decline

Kimi no Iru Machi

Seo Kouji hates you. That’s the only reasonable explanation for the constant torment he puts his readers through. Kimi no Iru Machi has always showcased angst, and while 2010 was no different, it did feature the excellently written tragedy of Kazama’s death and the birth of the wonderful relationship between Haruto and Mishima. Eba clearly was always the girl that Seo intended as the “right” choice for Haruto, but she’s provided nothing but agony for both the protagonist and the reader. Mishima was kinder, more loyal, and generally a significantly better option for Haruto, and their relationship made the series a happy read. However, 2011 saw all of this positive progress undone by the author, as he cruelly split up Haruto and Mishima to allow his protagonist to chase after his pet project, Eba. Romantic series like these are meant to let the reader live vicariously through the main character, enabling us to use our opinions and feelings to dictate who the main character should love. As such, each of the romantic options needs some kind of appeal to feel like a legitimate choice, and Eba has never had such appeal, only indecisiveness and weakness that have compounded misery on Haruto. The destruction of a wonderful relationship in favor of such an unwanted one has ruined Kimi no Iru Machi.

Dishonorable mention: Hunter x Hunter

Story Arc of the Year

Ashirogi Muto vs. Nanamine Tooru (Bakuman)

No extended story demanded attention in 2011 quite like the rivalry between the traditionalist duo of Ashirogi Muto and the sinister Nanamine Tooru. Proving that conflict can be enthralling in any form, Bakuman turned manga-writing into a battle between good and evil. Nanamine’s radical authorial style forced an already entertaining and diverse cast to assess and champion their own ethics regarding their professional life. Morality is subjective, but other, more action-oriented series present more familiar conflicts that make it easy to see the protagonist as right and the antagonist as wrong. Bakuman involves no typical shonen life-or-death conflicts, so judging the morality of Nanamine’s actions is more difficult. This arc didn’t just treat the reader with intelligence, it forced the reader to personally invest in the characters that more closely aligned with their own beliefs on the subject. Judged solely as a story, Ashirogi vs. Nanamine impressed, with plenty of exciting twists and interwoven character plots, but the arc’s engagement with its audience transformed it from a great arc to a truly memorable one.

Second Place: e-test (Enigma)
Third Place: Nura Clan vs. Hundred Stories Clan (Nurarihyon no Mago)

Chapter of the Year

The World God Only Knows 149

It takes a special chapter to stand out from the rest in a series as consistently great as The World God Only Knows, but it takes an amazing chapter to stand out over any individual chapter offered up by any series during the year. Chapter 149 of Kaminomi is absolutely beautiful. Shiori’s entire existence is laid bare before Katsuragi through her own writing, and the resulting chapter is incredible. It’s a clinic on heartfelt storytelling. It’s a window into the life of one withdrawn from the world. It’s an expression of the maelstrom of emotions sparked by a girl’s first love. Most impressively, it’s the epitome of manga, a seamless union of art and dialogue, a genius visual representation of the soul of a character. Chapter 149 of The World God Only Knows is a self-contained masterpiece.

Second Place: Enigma 35
Third Place: Hajime no Ippo 939

Series of the Year

Bakuman

In the end, perhaps appropriately, no manga was better than the one about manga. After a challenging 2010, Bakuman found its stride perfectly in 2011 with unprecedented direction. Nanamine’s first feud with Ashirogi served as the strongest driving force for the series this year, but even his persistent second attempt made for a compelling collision between ideologies. Not to be forgotten during all the focus on Nanamine, the competition to knock the final chapters of Crow from its position atop the Jump rankings was the perfect friendly rivalry to follow such a heated battle. The scandal of the PCP imitators was an interesting take and some experienced commentary on a real problem for companies such as Shueisha. Beyond specific story arcs, Bakuman’s biggest strength lies in its cast, and the growth made by the main group of characters this year has been impressive. The advancement made by Ashirogi Muto is obviously the most notable; of the two, Mashiro has grown the most in confidence and comfort with himself, but Takagi has also improved, both in terms of his individual skill as an author and his ability to work with Mashiro. The praise extends past the main duo, though, as Eiji continued to be brilliant, Nakai’s return added an extra dimension to Nanamine’s villainy, and the developing relationship between Hiramaru and Aoki successfully married romantic comedy with the unique alternative style of the series. All these positives added to Ohba’s usual precise dialogue and Obata’s superb art made for a wonderful year of manga, and made Bakuman the best series of 2011.

Second Place: The World God Only Knows
Third Place: Toriko