After several criticism of manga and Japanese animation by the French government in the early 1980s (Ségolène Royal at the head) France recognized 30 years later the greatest mangakas such as Leiji Matsumoto (creator of Captain Harlock), Katsuhiro Otomo (creator of Akira), Akira Toriyama (creator of Dragon Ball) and finally Gô Nagaï (creator of Grendizer) by giving them the highest national artistic distinction : the Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres medal.