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HELLO SMA22 AWARD WINNER, Obosobo!

SMA Editorial Dept. SMA Editorial Dept. 02/07/2025 10 min read


PROFILE
Pen Name / Name: Obosobo 
Country: Poland
Age: 23
Favorite manga: One-Punch Man, Dandadan
Favorite movie: Pulp Fiction
Favorite quote: “My magic is never giving up.”

Entry title: “Justice Strike”
Round: SMA22: “Seized With Rage”
Award: Excellence Award

“My biggest dream is to have my work turned into an anime one day.”

About SMA

How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award?
It feels good to know that professionals in the field appreciate my work, even if only a little bit. I hope to get good enough to win the top prize one day.

What was the inspiration behind your awarded work?
Honestly, it’s hard to say. It was my first ever attempt at making manga. I had so many ideas/ inspirations (both story-wise as well as art style-wise) that they all mixed together into one big mess. I just wanted to make something at least somewhat unique, but in a familiar setting, with characters and backgrounds I knew I would enjoy drawing over and over again.

What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them?
Too many ideas kept popping up while I was drawing, and I ended up changing many scenes (and the whole plot) as late as the inking stages. To fix it, I honestly didn’t do much, I just decided to go with the flow and hope for the best, as my original goal for this entry was more to practice, rather than to win. I was also short on time, so I had to change my usual daily schedule to accommodate for that. I ended up making 2 entries in under a month while also working, so I guess I made it all work in the end somehow. (Although it was too bad my other work did not get any award.)

READ Obosobo’s SMA22 ENTRY HERE!


About Your Manga

How and when did you start making manga? What do you wish you knew as a beginner? What advice would you give to someone who wants to start drawing manga?
I used to draw manga-style drawings way before I actually got into manga (so those drawings were more anime-style, to be honest). I would draw them in my notebooks at school very often. However, I only started treating art as a whole seriously a few years ago, and I only started practicing my manga-making skills around 2-3 years ago. I gave up many times along the way, especially way back in the past, and I wish I hadn’t done that. My advice would be to not give up. You will regret it way more than trying and failing (even if you fail multiple times). Even if you don’t make it big, it’s still fun to draw.

Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools?
I do all my art digitally nowadays (I use Clip Studio Paint and a Huion tablet). If I were drawing on paper, my whole room would be filled with discarded sheets of paper. It’s for sure easier to manage drawings on a computer. Also, drawing itself is faster and easier (and most likely cheaper in the long run, since buying analogue tools can be quite expensive). In the past, I used to sketch with a basic pencil, and I sometimes used regular pens/ fountain pens/ Micron pens for inking.


What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live?
I really do not remember, but it was most likely Soul Eater. Nowadays, it’s easy to find manga, but back in the day, it was basically impossible.

Which manga changed your life?
It might be silly, but it was actually Black Clover. I know it’s a typical action-focused manga, but the protagonist’s words,  “My magic is never giving up!” are actually what pushed me into drawing again when I had my biggest art crisis.

Which manga character do you most identify with? Why?
Kazuma from Konosuba. In private, I’m not a very serious person, despite treating my work seriously.

What kind of manga do you want to make next?
I really have a thing for drawing action, so perhaps something more action-focused. First, however, I will make some entries for the next round of SMA. As for challenges, it’s actually very hard to find people who share my interests, not to mention there are no groups/ courses/ lessons dedicated to making manga at all.

About You

What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax?
I create art for my social media accounts. Outside of drawing, I watch anime, read manga and lift weights most of the time.

What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)?
I actually work as an online artist. However, for the time being, I want to keep my online identity a secret.



Where do you see your manga career in five years time?
Hopefully, I’ll be publishing my works in Japan! If it doesn’t work out, I will just publish my works online. I will find a way, regardless of what happens, but I hope to have a career breakthrough before I turn 25… My biggest dream is to have my work turned into an anime one day.

What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could?
Keep studying art and don’t give up. Oh, and turn off Youtube when working. It’s distracting…

What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®?
Just do it! Don’t wait too long, either. You don’t want to be short on time and then stress about making it in time a few days before the deadline.

Thank you, Obosobo! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!

The deadline to join SMA23 is October 1st. Enter for a chance to develop your potential as a manga creator with us in Japan! 


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