Kamome Shirahama’s acclaimed manga Witch Hat Atelier has once again captured the Harvey Award for Best Manga, announced Friday during the annual ceremony at New York Comic Con. Published in English by Kodansha USA and translated by Stephen Kohler, the series previously earned the same distinction in 2020, making this its second win in the category.

The enchanting fantasy bested a strong lineup of nominees, including The Guy She Was Interested In Wasn’t a Guy at All by Sumiko Arai, The Summer Hikaru Died by Mokumokuren, Tokyo These Days by Taiyo Matsumoto, and Wind Breaker by Satoru Nii.

First introduced in Kodansha’s Morning Two magazine in 2016, Witch Hat Atelier follows Coco, a curious young girl who dreams of becoming a witch despite living in a world where only those born with magic can wield it. After discovering the secret art of rune-based spellcraft, Coco’s accidental use of magic turns her mother to stone — setting her on a quest for redemption under the mentorship of the mysterious witch Qifrey.

Renowned for its exquisite hand-drawn artwork, intricate worldbuilding and unique power-system, Shirahama’s series blends a fairy-tale wonder with themes of creativity, learning, and moral complexity. The manga has sold over 5.5 million copies worldwide and is currently being adapted into an anime television series by Bug Films, slated for release in 2026.

The Harvey Awards, one of the comics industry’s most prestigious honors, recognise excellence in sequential art and are voted on by comic professionals. The Best Manga category was introduced in 2018, with past winners including My Hero Academia, Chainsaw Man, and Delicious in Dungeon.

This latest win adds to Witch Hat Atelier’s growing list of accolades, which also includes an Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material—Asia and multiple international honors from France, Spain, and Korea.