Rumiko Takahashi, the creator behind famous manga likeRanma 1/2andInuyashahas been knighted by the country of France for her achievements. She is not the first mangaka to be knighted by France, interestingly, nor is it the first award that she has won in her career. This is the latest honor that she has earned from her wildly successful career in the manga industry.
Takahashi has been writing manga for more than 40 years, after making her original debut in 1978. WhileRanma 1/2andInuyashaare arguably her most famous works, Takahashi also brought us series likeUrusai Yatsura,Rumic Theater, andOne-Pound Gospel. Many of Takahashi’s works have been adapted into anime, and a few even into live-action. Her stories have also been translated into many languages, giving her fame not just in Japan but around the world.
RELATED:6 Iconic Shoujo Anime With Better Manga Series
Internationally, Takahashi began to win awards in 1994. That year, she received the Inkpot Award at San Diego Comic Con. In 2017, Takahashi was inducted into theScience Fictionand Fantasy Hall of Fame, and in 2018 into the Eisner Hall of Fame. In 2021, she made it into the Harvey Awards Hall of Fame. She is also one of only three women who have received the Grand Prix de la ville d’Angoulême, a lifetime achievement award given at the Angoulême International Comics Festival in 2019.
This latest award is formally called the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, or Order of Arts and Letters. It is given to those who have been seen as significant contributors to the arts and literature. The lowest rank that all inductees begin as is Chevalier, which means knight, and that is exactly that Takahashi has been given - therank of knight. While most recipients of the honor are French, there are a few international figures inducted every year.
Rumiko Takahashi is not the first Japanese citizen to be awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres. Others include the co-founder of Studio Ghibli Isao Takahata and Shigeru Miyamoto, who designedThe Legend of Zelda, directedSuperMario64andDonkey Kong, and producedPikmin. Other mangaka who have been awarded the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres are Leiji Matsumoto (Captain Harlock,Galaxy Express 999), Katsuhiro Otomo (Akira), and Akira Toriyama (Dragon Ball).
Even Western stories likeScott Pilgrimcite Takahashi as an inspiration for their work, not to mention manga from China, Thailand, and beyond. This is no small list of names to be included on, and Rumiko Takahashi deserves it. Some of her manga are just as famous and beloved as the ones listed above, both in Japan and around the world. It is the latest in a long line of achievements for Takahashi, and over the past 40 years her works have contributed so much to the art world.
