The
manga Houseki no Kuni (Land of the Lustrous), created by Haruko
Ichikawa, was awarded the top prize at the Sense of Gender Awards,
organized by the Japan Association of Genre, Fantasy and Science
Fiction. During the ceremony held on Sunday, August 31, 2025
(Spanish time), Shunshō Utsugi's Kanshō Fantasmagorie collection
of short stories was also recognized with a special award.
The
value of the Sense of Gender Award
Inspired by
the Otherwise Award in the United States, these awards
distinguish works of science fiction and fantasy that expand
the reflection on the concept of genre. Since their first edition in 2001, they
have become a benchmark in the Japanese literary and artistic field.
Kodansha, the publisher that publishes the
work, received the recognition on behalf of Ichikawa and shared a message of
thanks from the author. Despite the fact that the story presents beings from
the future without gender or reproduction, Ichikawa stressed his intention to
reflect both the continuity of ancient humans and the
construction of a unique society for these new forms of life.
Other
recognitions at the convention
The winners
were announced during the 63rd Japan Science Fiction Convention (known
as Kama-Con this year). At the same event, attendees awarded
additional prizes: Houseki no Kuni also received the award
for Best Comic Book, Miya Kazuki's Ascendance
of a Bookworm won the award for Best Japanese Long Novel,
and mangaka Kia Asamiya was recognized as Best Artist.
A legacy
of outstanding works
Over the
years, the Sense of Gender Award has honored influential
titles such as The Birth of Kitaro: The Mystery of GeGeGe, Raven
of the Inner Palace, The Promised Neverland, and An
Older Guy's VR First Love. Special recognitions have also been given to
works such as Ōoku by Fumi Yoshinaga (Hall of
Fame, 2022) and In This Corner of the World by Fumiyo
Kouno (Transcending Time Award, 2017).
The
Houseki no Kuni tour
Ichikawa
began publishing the manga in Kodansha's Afternoon magazine in
2012. After more than a decade of serialization, the work concluded in April
2024, with a total of 13 compilation volumes, the last published in
November of that same year. The English edition is by Kodansha USA
Publishing.
The story
also inspired a 12-episode anime adaptation that premiered
in October 2017. The title was distributed in different regions by
platforms such as HIDIVE, Amazon Anime Strike, and later Sentai Filmworks,
which released a special edition in January 2019. So far in 2025, the Japan
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association awarded Houseki
no Kuni the Nihon SF Taishō Grand Prize, further cementing
its prestige at home and abroad.
