PROFILE
Pen Name: Adween
Age: 25
Social network profiles: Twitter: @AdweenArt, Instagram: @ad.ween
Country: France
Favorite manga: Pandora Hearts, Attack on Titan, Witch Hat Atelier
Favorite movie: Castle In The Sky
Favorite quote: Huh I don’t know if it’s my favorite but I really liked a sentence said by Agathe in Witch Hat Atelier: “Wanting to draw and not being able to, it happens to everyone!”

Entry title: “Heart of Stone”
Round: SMA19: “Overflowing Tears”
Award: Honorable Mention

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“If you have time, do it. You will win either a reward or experience but you will never lose. 🙂”

About SMA

How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award?
I was super happy! I have done a lot of manga contests but I have never won any…So it was a pleasant surprise!

What was the inspiration behind your awarded work?
I really like the character dynamics where a tired old man takes care of a very energetic child. It’s from the relationship between these characters that I created the story.

What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them?
I haven’t done any manga for several years, so I had to get back into it and work hard so that my lack of practice didn’t show too much! I also had a very physically tiring job during the contest and I often felt pain while drawing…You always have to stretch well even when you draw!

READ Adween’s SMA19 ENTRY HERE!

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About your Manga

How and when did you start making manga? Any advice for beginners?
I started doing manga at a very young age. I loved writing stories for my little sister. I quit for a very long time, then came back into it, then quit again…I had a complicated relationship with manga so I don’t think I can give advice, but…I would say to never force yourself and if you really like to draw, someday the desire will come back naturally.

Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools?
I draw digitally. It saves me a lot of time. I mainly draw on Clip Studio Paint!

What was the first manga you picked up?
The first manga I read was Black Cat by Kentaro Yabuki. All the stories I created when I was younger were HEAVILY inspired by Black Cat… It was the only manga I had and therefore my only source of inspiration haha.

Which manga changed your life?
A lot of manga actually! But I think Attack on Titan and Pandora Hearts are among the most impactful. Attack on Titan for its terrifying and realistic view of the world and Pandora Hearts for its anxious and tortured characters that marked me as a human and as an artist.

Which manga character do you most identify with? Why?
Reiner from Attack on Titan. He asks himself a lot of questions all the time to the point of losing his mind. We are very similar on this point.

What kind of manga do you want to make next?
A psychological manga about creativity and passion. A theme had already been seen several times, but I would like to share my experience and create a story that speaks to all those who had serious doubts about their art.

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About you

What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax?
I really like to sing, read, play video games, walk in nature, play with my cats… But most of the time I draw haha.

What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)?
I work as a graphic designer with a publishing company and I also have a part time job as a cashier.

Where do you see your manga career in 5 years time?
I don’t think I would be a pro but I hope I could at least make a full story for myself.



What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could?
“Learn perspective now or you’ll regret it.”

What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®?
You should never hesitate to do this kind of competition. If you have time, do it. You will win either a reward or experience but you will never lose. 🙂

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Thank you, Adween! We’re eagerly expecting your next manga masterpiece!

There’s time until December 4th to join SMA20 and have a chance to develop your potential as a manga creator with us in Japan!