The comic book industry considers the Will Eisner Comic Awards as its most important awards body. Considered the Oscar or Academy Award for comics, you can’t get any bigger than getting an Eisner. They also induct important individuals to the Hall of Fame, and many of these inductees are Japanese. These Japanese Eisner Hall of Famers include Osamu Tezuka (2002), Kazuo Koike (2004), Goseki Kojima (2004), and Katsuhiro Otomo (2012). Now, Ranma 1/2, InuYasha, Maison Ikkoku, RINNE, and Urusei Yatsura mangaka, Rumiko Takahashi, might be joining them.

Comic-Con International, which usually holds the awards every year during the San Diego Comic-Con, has now announced the nominees. Of course, this includes Rumiko Takahashi. However, she’s expecting huge competition to get in this year, as she goes up against some pretty big names. These include Charles Addams, Jim Aparo, Gus Arriola, Karen Berger, Howard Cruse, Carlos Ezquerra, Dave Gibbons, Paul Levitz, Tarpé Mills, Francoise Mouly, Thomas Nash, Lily Renée Peter Phillips, Posy Simmonds, John Wagner, and S. Clay Wilson.

If she gets into the Hall of Fame, she won’t just be joining the Japanese greats, but Stan Lee and Will Eisner as well. This will be her fourth nomination, because she received previous nominations in 2014, 2016, and 2017.

Voters from all over the comic industry are now handing in their votes, and their deadline is on 16th March. they will then announce the winners at a later date.