Ahoy Captain Cats here and I have some good news for you.

According to Anime News Network manga creator Osamu Akimoto is one of 17 others who will be awarded by the Japanese government the Medal with Purple Ribbon. The Medal with Purple Ribbon is part of a six-color Medals of Honor in Japan and each color has its category and they are:

  • Red Ribbon – To individuals who have risked their own lives to save the lives of others
  • Green Ribbon – The award was originally for those who did charity work until WWII and social values in the 1950s. Now its for individuals who have actively taken part in serving society.
  • Yellow Ribbon – An updated version of the original green ribbon award of charity work.
  • Purple Ribbon – To individuals who contributed to academic and artistic developments, improvements and accomplishments.
  • Blue Ribbon – To individuals who made significant achievements in either public welfare or public service.
  • Dark Blue Ribbon – To individuals who made generous financial contributions for the well-being of the public.

In case you are wondering what Akimoto has done to earn this award, he is the creator of the longest manga series that never took a break in the series 40-year run and that series is Kochikame. The series ran from 1976 till 2016 on Weekly Shonen Jump non-stop and with 200 volumes to its name is also a Guinness World Record holder for “Most volumes published for a single manga series.”