Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei was his first work to be adapted into an anime and was awarded the 31st Kodansha Manga Award in the shōnen category.
sˌaɪənˈɑːɹɹə, zˈɛtsuːbˌuːsˈɛnseɪ wʌz hɪz fˈɜːst wˈɜːk təbi ɐdˈæptᵻd ˌɪntʊ ɐn ˈænɪmˌeɪ ænd wʌz ɐwˈɔːɹdᵻd ðə θˈɜːɾi fˈɜːst kˈoʊdænʃə mˈæŋɡə ɐwˈɔːɹd ɪnðə ʃˈoʊnən kˈæɾɪɡɚɹi.