Takehiko Inoue
Awards & Honours
6
Awards Won
4
Honours
2
Rankings
2
Covers
2
Records
Takehiko Inoue is one of the most celebrated manga artists in history. His series Slam Dunk is the best-selling basketball manga of all time and has been credited with popularizing the sport in Japan. Vagabond is widely regarded as a masterpiece of the medium, praised for its artistic depth and philosophical themes. Inoue is the only artist to have won the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize twice, first for his debut and later for Vagabond. His directorial debut, The First Slam Dunk, was a critical and commercial success, demonstrating his versatility. In 2024, he received the MEXT Arts Encouragement Prize from the Japanese government, recognizing his contributions to media arts.
Awards
Honours & Distinctions
MEXT Arts Encouragement Prize
Awarded in the Media Arts division for lifetime contributions.
Asia Cosmopolitan Awards Cultural Prize
First recipient of the Cultural Prize for contributions to East Asian community.
Commendation from Japan Basketball Association
For popularizing basketball in Japan through Slam Dunk.
Slam Dunk Scholarship Program
Founded to send Japanese youth to American prep schools for basketball and education.
Rankings & Lists
Japan's Favorite Manga
Best-Selling Manga Series
Magazine Covers
Weekly Shōnen Jump
1990-1996
Multiple covers during Slam Dunk serialization
Morning
1998-2015
Multiple covers for Vagabond
Records & Feats
Only artist to win Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize twice
Inoue won the Tezuka Prize in 1988 for Kaede Purple and the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize in 2002 for Vagabond.
Best-selling basketball manga of all time
Slam Dunk has sold over 170 million copies worldwide, making it the highest-selling basketball-themed manga.