Seiun Award


The Seiun Award is a Japanese speculative fiction award for the best science fiction works and achievements during the preceding year. Organized and overseen by, the awards were given each year at the annual Japan Science Fiction Convention. It is the oldest SF award in Japan, which was first given in 1970 at the 9th Japan Science Fiction Convention and has been awarded every year since that.
"Seiun", the Japanese word for "nebula", was named after the first and short-lived professional science fiction magazine in Japan, which appeared in 1954. The award is not related to the American Nebula Award.
It is similar to the Hugo Award, which is presented by the members of the World Science Fiction Society, in that all of the members of the presenting convention are eligible to participate in the selection process. But it is not strictly correct to call it Japan's "equivalent" to the Hugo Awards, as the Hugo Awards are open to works from anywhere in any language while the Seiun implicitly limited the area and the language like the BSFA Award.

Eligibility and the selection process

A professional work or achievement which appeared for the first time in the previous calendar year may be considered eligible. The eligibility of magazines is determined on its nominal publication date, which often tend to be a month or two ahead of the actual date due to Japanese publication custom.
There are no written rules about word count for literary fiction categories, so that the decision of eligibility in that regard is left up to the voters.
Usually in spring, SFFAN issues candidate lists for reference in each category, which is chosen by the preliminary vote of their member groups. However, voters can cast their ballots for any eligible works outside of the list in the final ballot.
With consideration for voters' availability, a work which appeared on a magazine or released on audio-visual media but wasn't chosen for the candidate lists may be eligible again when it got published as a book or released in any other media.
Though the regulation has no mention about e-publishing, two literary works have won the award: "Umi no Yubi" by Hirotaka Tobi in Best Japanese Short Story 2015, which appeared on a webzine in the eligible year; "Saigo ni shite Saisho no Idol" by Gengen Kusano in the same category 2017 was published as an e-book.

Categories

There are effectively no official English names for categories, so that they are varied depending on translators. For example, "Novel" may be appeared as "Long Story" or "Long Form"; "Short Story" may be referred to as "Short form" and so on.
Current categoriesYear startedCurrent description
Best Japanese Novel
1970Science fiction novels and stories which appears or are translated for the first time during the eligible year. Serialized works on magazines may be eligible when they are finished; other works may be eligible when it got published as a book. A multi-volume works may also be eligible as a whole series when it is concluded as well.
Best Japanese Short Story
1970Science fiction novels and stories which appears or are translated for the first time during the eligible year. Serialized works on magazines may be eligible when they are finished; other works may be eligible when it got published as a book. A multi-volume works may also be eligible as a whole series when it is concluded as well.
Best Translated Novel
1970Science fiction novels and stories which appears or are translated for the first time during the eligible year. Serialized works on magazines may be eligible when they are finished; other works may be eligible when it got published as a book. A multi-volume works may also be eligible as a whole series when it is concluded as well.
Best Translated Short Story
1970Science fiction novels and stories which appears or are translated for the first time during the eligible year. Serialized works on magazines may be eligible when they are finished; other works may be eligible when it got published as a book. A multi-volume works may also be eligible as a whole series when it is concluded as well.
Best Dramatic Presentation
1970Films, plays, and any other audio-visual works. Serial works may be treated as is the case with novels.
Note: The name was changed from in 1980.
Best Comic
1978Manga. Serial works may be treated as in the case with novels.
Best Artist
1978Artists with notable achievements.
Best Nonfiction
1985Nonfiction works about SF such as studies and critiques, including translated ones. Other criteria is as in the case with Novels.
Free Nomination
2002Any events which aren't fitted in other categories, such as things, phenomenon, or feats of science and technology.

Winners and candidates

Best Japanese Long Work

* Winners and joint winners
+ No winner selected
YearWinnerAuthorPublisher or publication
1970Kodansha
1971Sekai SF Zenshū Vol.29: Sakyo Komatsu, Hayakawa Publishing
1972Nihon SF Novels, Hayakawa Publishing
1973Kawade Shobō Shinsha
1974Kappa Novels, Kōbunsha
1975Kawade Shobō Shinsha
1976Shinchōsha
1977Nihon SF Novels, Hayakawa Publishing
1978Tokuma Shoten
1979SF Magazine Feb 1976 - Oct 1978
1980SF Magazine Dec 1977 - Aug 1979
1981SF Magazine Jul 1979 - Oct 1980
1982Shinchosha
1983Sankei Shuppan
1984Hayakawa Bunko JA, Hayakawa Publishing
1985Hayakawa Bunko JA, Hayakawa Publishing
1986Hayakawa Publishing
1987Hayakawa Bunko JA, Hayakawa Publishing
1988 series Tokuma Novels, Tokuma Shonten
1989Tokuma Shoten
1990Hayakawa Publishing
1991Hayakawa Publishing
1992Shinchō Bunko, Shinchōsha
1993Hayakawa Publishing
1994Hayakawa Publishing
1995 series C Novels, Chūōkōronsha
1996 series Hayakawa Publishing
1997 trilogyHayakawa Bunko JA, Hayakawa Publishing
1998Hayakawa Bunko JA, Hayakawa Publishing
1999Yūichi SasamotoSonorama Bunko,
2000Hayakawa Publishing
2001Hayakawa Publishing
2002Famitsu Bunko, Enterbrain
2003Hayakawa SF Series J collection, Hayakawa Publishing
2004Hayakawa Bunko JA, Hayakawa Publishing
2005Sonorama Bunko, Asahi Sonorama
2006Hayakawa Bunko JA, Hayakawa Publishing
2007Shogakukan
2007Shogakukan
2008 series ASCII Media Works
2009Hayakawa SF Series J Collection, Hayakawa Publishing
2010 series Hayakawa Bunko JA, Hayakawa Publishing
2011PHP Institute
2012Hayakawa Bunko JA, Hayakawa Publishing
2013Kawade Shobō Shinsha
2013Kawade Shobō Shinsha
2013Hayakawa Publishing
2013Shinchosha
2013Kadokawa Shoten
2013 series Dengeki Bunko, ASCII Media Works
2013Hayakawa SF Series J Collection, Hayakawa Publishing
2013Kadokawa Shoten
2014Hayakawa Bunko JA, Hayakawa Publishing
2014Hayakawa Bunko JA, Hayakawa Publishing
2014Hayakawa Bunko JA, Hayakawa Publishing
2014Sogen Nihon SF Selection, Tokyo Sogensha
2014Hayakawa SF Series J Collection, Hayakawa Publishing
2014NOVA Collection, Kawade Shobō Shinsha
2014Shinchosha
2015Hayakawa Publishing
2015Tokuma Bunko, Tokuma Shoten
2015Kodansha
2015Kodansha
2015 Gagaga Bunko, Shogakukan
2015KADOKAWA / Kadokawa Shoten
2016 Hayakawa Bunko JA, Hayakawa Publishing
2016Hayakawa SF Series J Collection, Hayakawa Publishing
2016Sogen Nihon SF Selection, Tokyo Sogensha
2016Hayakawa Publishing
2016 Tokuma Novels, Tokuma Shoten & Kodansha Novels, Kodansha
2016Hayakawa Bunko JA, Hayakawa Publishing
2016Asahi Shinbun Shuppan
2016Hayakawa Publishing
2016Bungeishunjū
2017Hayakawa Publishing
2017Kodansha
2017Tokuma Shoten
2017 Hayakawa Publishing
2017Kawade Shobō Shinsha
2017Kodansha
2017Kawade Shobō Shinsha
2017Kodansha
2018KADOKAWA
2018Hayakawa Publishing
2018 Hayakawa Publishing
2018Hayakawa Publishing
2018Dengeki Bunko, KADOKAWA
2018KADOKAWA
2018Kawade Bunko, Kawade Shobō Shinsha
2018 Kappa Novels, Kōbunsha
2019Hayakawa Publishing
2019Hayakawa Publishing
2019Kodansha
2019 Hayakawa Publishing
2020Hayakawa Publishing
2020Tokyo Sogensha
2020KADOKAWA
2020Hayakawa Publishing
2020Shueisha
2020Hayakawa Publishing

Best Japanese Short Story

Best Translated Long Work

* Winners and joint winners
+ No winner selected
YearWinnerAuthorTranslatorPublisher or publication
1970Tokyo Sogensha
1971Hayakawa Publishing
1972NightwingsHayakawa Publishing
1973Hayakawa Publishing
1974DuneHayakawa Publishing
1975Up the LineTokyo Sogensha
1976Hayakawa Publishing
1977Hayakawa Publishing
1978I Will Fear No EvilHayakawa Publishing
1979RingworldHayakawa Publishing
1980Rendezvous with RamaHayakawa Publishing
1981Inherit the StarsTokyo Sogensha
1982Tokyo Sogensha
1983Dragon's EggHayakawa Publishing
1984Hayakawa Publishing
1985Hayakawa Publishing
1986Elric sagaHayakawa Publishing
1986Elric sagaHayakawa Publishing
1987NeuromancerHayakawa Publishing
1988NorstriliaHayakawa Publishing
1989FootfallTokyo Sogensha
1989FootfallTokyo Sogensha
1990Collision with ChronosTokyo Sogensha
1991Hayakawa Publishing
1992Tokyo Sogensha
1993Tau ZeroTokyo Sogensha
1994EntoverseTokyo Sogensha
1995HyperionHayakawa Publishing
1996Hayakawa Publishing
1996Timelike InfinityHayakawa Publishing
1996King of Morning, Queen of DayHayakawa Publishing
1996Hayakawa Publishing
1996Voyage to the Red PlanetHayakawa Publishing
1996Doomsday BookHayakawa Publishing
1996Tokyo Sogensha
1996Dead GirlsTreville
1997End of an EraHayakawa Publishing
1997Tokyo Sogensha
1997Hayakawa Publishing
1997TwistorHayakawa Publishing
1997TwistorHayakawa Publishing
1997Hayakawa Publishing
1997Tokyo Sogensha
1997Mother of StormsHayakawa Publishing
1997Hayakawa Publishing
1998Fallen AngelsTokyo Sogensha
1998Fallen AngelsTokyo Sogensha
1998Fallen AngelsTokyo Sogensha
1998Sunglasses After DarkHayakawa Publishing
1998JumperHayakawa Publishing
1998Desolation RoadHayakawa Publishing
1998Feersum EndjinnHayakawa Publishing
1998Little, BigKokusho Kankōkai
1998Moving MarsHayakawa Publishing
1998Hayakawa Publishing
1999Hayakawa Publishing
1999Red MarsTokyo Sogensha
1999Dydeetown WorldHayakawa Publishing
1999Hayakawa Publishing
1999Wielkość urojonaKokusho Kankōkai
1999Wielkość urojonaKokusho Kankōkai
1999Wielkość urojonaKokusho Kankōkai
1999When Worlds CollideTokyo Sogensha
1999When Worlds CollideTokyo Sogensha
1999Slow RiverHayakawa Publishing
1999Snow CrashASCII Corporation
2000KirinyagaHayakawa Publishing
2000Endymion / The Rise of EndymionHayakawa Publishing
2000StarplexHayakawa Publishing
2000One of UsSony Magazines
2000QuarantineTokyo Sogensha
2000Forever PeaceTokyo Sogensha
2000Permutation CityHayakawa Publishing
2000Tokyo Sogensha
2001Tokyo Sogensha
2001Robert SilverbergTokyo Sogensha
2001Ender's ShadowHayakawa Publishing
2001Simulacron-3Tokyo Sogensha
2001Hayakawa Publishing
2001Hayakawa Publishing
2001All Tomorrow's PartiesKadokawa Shoten
2001Darwin's RadioSony Magazines
2001BarrayarTokyo Sogensha
2001Hayakawa Publishing
2002There and Back AgainHayakawa Publishing
2002Children of the MindHayakawa Publishing
2002OrgasmachineCore Magazine
2002Green MarsTokyo Sogensha
2002Kadokawa Shoten
2002CetagandaTokyo Sogensha
2002Hayakawa Publishing
2002FlashforwardHayakawa Publishing
2002Brightness ReefHayakawa Publishing
2002All the Weyrs of PernHayakawa Publishing
2003Illegal AlienHayakawa Publishing
2003CryptonomiconHayakawa Publishing
2003GlorianaTokyo Sogensha
2003DavyFusosha Publishing
2003FreewareHayakawa Publishing
2003Hayakawa Publishing
2003PassageSony Magazines
2003Tokyo Sogensha
2003Kawade Shobō Shinsha
2003ThraxasHayakawa Publishing
2004Heaven's ReachHayakawa Publishing
2004Hayakawa Publishing
2004LeviathanTokyo Sogensha
2004Tokyo Sogensha
2004Iwanami Shoten
2004Hayakawa Publishing
2004Ethan of AthosTokyo Sogensha
2004FastwalkerTokyo Sogensha
2005DistressTokyo Sogensha
2005To Say Nothing of the DogHayakawa Publishing
2005Hayakawa Publishing
2005Kokusho Kankōkai
2005Kokusho Kankōkai
2005Kokusho Kankōkai
2005Kokusho Kankōkai
2005Kokusho Kankōkai
2005Down the Bright WayHayakawa Publishing
2006DiasporaHayakawa Publishing
2006Revelation SpaceHayakawa Publishing
2006Space ChanteyKokusho Kankōkai
2006Tuf VoyagingHayakawa Publishing
2006 trilogyHayakawa Publishing
2006Venus Plus XKokusho Kankōkai
2006Tokyo Sogensha
2007Mortal EnginesTokyo Sogensha
2007Singularity SkyHayakawa Publishing
2007Mars CrossingHayakawa Publishing
2007IliumHayakawa Publishing
2007Hayakawa Publishing
2007Chasm CityHayakawa Publishing
2008Brightness Falls from the AirHayakawa Publishing
2008OlymposHayakawa Publishing
2008Hayakawa Publishing
2008Old Man's WarHayakawa Publishing
2008Kiln PeopleHayakawa Publishing
2008CamouflageHayakawa Publishing
2008Hayakawa Publishing
2008Kokusho Kankōkai
2008Hayakawa Publishing
2009SpinTokyo Sogensha
2009Hayakawa Publishing
2009Redemption ArkHayakawa Publishing
2009LightKokusho Kankōkai
2009Hayakawa Publishing
2009Sun of SunsHayakawa Publishing
2009SeekerHayakawa Publishing
2010Hayakawa Publishing
2010AccelerandoHayakawa Publishing
2010Rainbows EndTokyo Sogensha
2010Perdido Street StationHayakawa Publishing
2010Probability trilogyHayakawa Publishing
2010Shinchosha
2011EifelheimTokyo Sogensha
2011World War ZBungeishunjū
2011Small Change trilogyTokyo Sogensha
2011Hayakawa Publishing
2011Hunter's RunHayakawa Publishing
2011Hunter's RunHayakawa Publishing
2011Hunter's RunHayakawa Publishing
2011Un Lun DunKawade Shobō Shinsha
2011GenesisHayakawa Publishing
2012Hayakawa Publishing
2012Hayakawa Publishing
2012Hayakawa Publishing
2012Tokyo Sogensha
2012DhalgrenKokusho Kankōkai
2012Little BrotherHayakawa Publishing
2012Millennium PeopleTokyo Sogensha
2013Hayakawa Publishing
2013Hayakawa Publishing
2013VortexTokyo Sogensha
2013BlackoutHayakawa Publishing
2013Leviathan trilogyHayakawa Publishing
2014BlindsightTokyo Sogensha
2014IncandescenceHayakawa Publishing
2014Serpent's EggSeishinsha
2014EmbassytownHayakawa Publishing
2014KrakenHayakawa Publishing
2014Hayakawa Publishing
2014All ClearHayakawa Publishing
2015Hayakawa Publishing
2015PathfinderHayakawa Publishing
2015Ready Player OneSB Creative
2015Tokyo Sogensha
2015RedshirtsHayakawa Publishing
2015Among OthersTokyo Sogensha
2016Ancillary JusticeTokyo Sogensha
2016ZendegiHayakawa Publishing
2016Ack-Ack MacaqueTokyo Sogensha
2016Hayakawa Publishing
2016Tokyo Sogensha
2016Tokyo Sogensha
2017United States of JapanHayakawa Publishing
2017Jack Vance Treasury 1: Magnus RidolphKokusho Kankōkai
2017Jack Vance Treasury 1: Magnus RidolphKokusho Kankōkai
2017Hayakawa Publishing
2017RoderickKawade Shobō Shinsha
2017KADOKAWA / Kadokawa Shoten
2017Imperial Radch trilogyTokyo Sogensha
2017Enchanted NightHakusuisha
2018Sleeping GiantsTokyo Sogensha
2018Hayakawa Publishing
2018Hayakawa Publishing
2018Hayakawa Publishing
2018My Real ChildrenTokyo Sogensha
2018Blue MarsTokyo Sogensha
2018 as Rustam Katz Kyōwakoku
2018Jack Vance Treasury 3: Space OperaKokusho Kankōkai
2018Jack Vance Treasury 3: Space OperaKokusho Kankōkai
2019Mecha Samurai EmpireHayakawa Publishing
2019ArtemisHayakawa Publishing
2019We Are LegionHayakawa Publishing
2019ProvenanceTokyo Sogensha
2019Waking GodsTokyo Sogensha
2019Six WakesTokyo Sogensha
2019SevenevesHayakawa Publishing
2020The Long Way to a Small, Angry PlanetTokyo Sogensha
2020The Paradox MenTakeshobo
2020Jade CityHayakawa Publishing
2020The Three-Body ProblemHayakawa Publishing
2020The Three-Body ProblemHayakawa Publishing
2020The Three-Body ProblemHayakawa Publishing
2020The Three-Body ProblemHayakawa Publishing
2020Only HumanTokyo Sogensha
2020A Man Lies DreamingTakeshobo
2020The Murderbot Diaries Tokyo Sogensha

Best Translated Short Story

* Winners and joint winners
+ No winner selected

Best Dramatic Presentation

Best Comic

Best Artist

Best Nonfiction

Free Nomination

Special Award

SFFAN may give out special awards, which are not voted on. They are regarded as official Seiun Awards. All but one, Uchūjin, of them were given posthumously for people who contributed Japanese SF fandom.
YearWinner
1980Motoichirō Takebe, artist
1982Uchūjin as Japanese oldest Sci-Fi fanzine
1989Osamu Tezuka, comic artist
2005Tetsu Yano, translator/author
2007Yoshihiro Yonezawa, manga critic/author/Comiket's co-founder and president
2008Kōichirō Noda, translator/author
2010Takumi Shibano, translator/author
2011Sakyo Komatsu, author