Via Comic Natalie: the TV adaptation of Sumito Oowara’s “Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!” has been selected by The New York Times as its “Best TV Show” and “Best International Show” for 2020. The New York Times described the work as “a storyline with a moving theme of the hard work involved in the animation industry as well as the discovery of identity through art”. Of the works shortlisted this year, it was the only awardee to win two categories.

A story about a group of three high school girls who decided to produce and animate their own work; Masaaki Yuasa was in charge of direction and series composition, featuring character designs by Naoyuki Asano, and animated by Science SARU.

The show also won Japan’s Galaxy Award for March 2020. The Galaxy Award was established in Japan in 1963 by the Broadcast Critics Association to honour outstanding programs, individuals and groups improving the quality of Japanese broadcasts. The awards are divided into four categories: television, radio, commercials, and news.