Jiro Taniguchi was awarded the Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government for his significant contributions much appreciated by French readers. Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro hailed him “a manga poet, an observer of the world” whose exquisite line drawing and intricately constructed scenes from everyday life attract an international following. His stories deal with universal themes as the beauty of nature, devotion to family, and/or return to childhood.