PROFILE

Pen Name / Name: OTAKU OUTLAW / yasinarwani (Y) & kerolafiq (K)
Country: Malaysia
Social media profiles: Instagram: @hangkijang
Age: 36 & 34
Favorite manga: Eyeshield 21 / One Piece
Favorite movie: Real Steel / Ready Player One
Favorite quote: 
Y: “Alang-alang menyeluk pekasam, biar sampai ke pangkal lengan” (Translation: When you do something, you might as well give 120% rather than half-ass it.)
K: “If you try, there’s a 50% chance that you’ll fail (or even succeed!), but if you don’t try, there’s a 100% chance that you’ll fail.”
Entry title: “The Promised Dream”
Round: SMA23 “My Dream”
Award: Excellence Award Runner-up

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“ Do not struggle alone and try to find someone who shares your interests.”

About SMA

How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award?
We feel happy and surprised by the announcement, especially since we didn’t manage to win an award in SMA22.

What was the inspiration behind your awarded work?
We were inspired by anyone who has tried their best to help their loved one achieve his/her dreams.

What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them?
Time. As both of us are currently full-time employees, we had to sacrifice our free time to complete this manga.

READ OTAKU OUTLAW’s Awarded Work HERE!

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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?
Y: Back in my school days, somewhere around 2006, I submitted a short manga to my school magazine. As a beginner, I wish I had known I had the potential to make it work, especially since, after that, I stopped drawing for almost 15 years. My advice for new mangaka is to trust the process and never give up.

Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools?
We draw digitally using Clip Studio Paint EX.


What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live?
Y&K: Dragon Ball. Now it is much easier than it was before.

Which manga changed your life?
Y: Eyeshield 21.
K: One Piece.

Which manga character do you most identify with? Why?
Y: Frieren because I currently am living a slow-paced life.
K: Haruhiro from Grimgar because I tend to be extra cautious in making any decisions.

What kind of manga do you want to make next?
We’d like to make shonen manga. One challenge is that the audience does not appreciate the local talent as much as other leading mangaka from countries like Japan, Korea, and China.

About You

What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax?
Y: I sleep.
K: I’m usually gaming.

What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)?
Y: I work in game development.
K: I work for an airline.

Where do you see your manga career in five years time?
We plan to publish a shonen manga series with our local publisher.

What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could?
Do not struggle alone and try to find someone who shares your interests.

What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®?
Try looking for someone who can provide constructive feedback on your work.

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

The deadline to join SMA24 is May 10th. Enter for a chance to develop your potential as a manga creator with us in Japan!