By Nanette McGuinness

As I draft this post, it’s late July and that wonderful annual event known as San Diego Comic-Con has just ended its 2026 installment. For some, Comic-Con is a public arena for joyous cosplay, for others it’s an opportunity to watch said cosplay with delight, camera in hand; for some it’s a place to buy books, action figures, toys, and more; and for others it’s a chance to visit booths, attend panels, and cruise through the indie talent on display in Artists’ Alley. And, of course, San Diego Comic is when the Will Eisner Comic Industry Awards are announced.

The Oscars of the comics world, the Eisners encompass several dozen categories of genre or craft. Writing, art, lettering, and inking all receive recognition, for example, as do comics for early readers, kids, and teens. Translations appear in the obvious two categories–Best U.S. Edition of International Material and Best U.S. Edition of International Material–Asia–as well as in the kid lit ones, and occasionally in other spots, too.

This year, though, it seemed as if there were fewer translations outside the international categories than usual, and within those two international categories, a number of the nominees were too adult to even be upper YA. Luckily, though, there were two that I enjoyed immensely and that upper YA/crossover readers will appreciate. Both are quite different from each other and both were in the International-Asia category, competing against each other.

While I hope that next year brings a bumper crop of translated kidlit among the nominees, both of these are terrific. Indeed, I was thrilled when my absolute fav of the nominees, Purgatory Funeral Cakes, won the Eisner in the Asia category. Not only do I highly recommend both, but I can’t wait to continue reading in their universes. I think you will relish lingering in their worlds, too.

Purgatory Funeral Cakes

Purgatory Funeral Cakes, is a fabulously conceived and beautifully drawn fantasy that blends the macabre with cozy tenderness. A manhwa (graphic novel from Korea) by Sanho, it’s the story of Margot and ghostly assistant Miro who speak to the living in order to bake special funeral cakes, seasoned with a sound track, to help recently deceased loved ones let go of their lives and pass through the plains of purgatory safely. A fantastic conceit, it’s flawlessly executed and deeply meaningful. Volume 1 consists of two vignettes–one about a blind mystery writer and the other about a vampire’s family–and volume 2 came out in translation in late June.

Hirayasumi, Vols. 4-7

The other translated Eisner nominee that I loved is actually volumes 4-7 in a wonderful manga series from Japan, Hirayasumi. (The same talented author, Keigo Shinzo, had a second manga series nominated in this category in 2026; both are good, but this one spoke to me more directly.) The title combines two words, hiraya, which is a traditional Japanese one-story house, and yasumi, to rest. A “slice of life” manga (one in which the reader watches characters going about their daily lives to create the narrative rather than a specific story arc), Hirayasumi thus celebrates the slow life, focusing on Hiroto, a sweet guy who gave up early success in acting and now floats through life, drifting along without a girlfriend, life goal, or career ambition. He’s in his 20s, and unexpectedly inherits a house from an old woman, Hanae, whom he had helped out.

As is typical in manga of this type, Hiroto is accompanied by a nicely fleshed-out cast of characters, which here include: his 18-year-old cousin Natsumi, who moved to Tokyo to attend art school but dreams of designing manga; her group of friends; Hideki, Hiroto’s good friend who has a young baby and is struggling to balance job/family/self; a real estate agent/property manager; and more. They all interact in various ways, crossing paths as they try to figure out who they are, who they want to be, and how to get there. While this sounds humdrum, it’s anything but, and Shinzo is a master. Serialized in 2021, Hirayasumi has spawned a small empire, with a TV drama last year and an anime coming out later this one. The manga itself is currently on vol 10.

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A version of this article also appears on the brilliant Global Literature in Libraries Initiative – thanks to Nanette and GLLI for the permission to share! Check out GLLI’s weekly #WorldKidLit Wednesday and Weekend reviews, and their Translated YA Book Prize. For World Kid Lit Month, GLLI are diving deep into Japanese kid lit and YA. Head over and subscribe if you don’t already!

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