About Us

The SILENT MANGA AUDITION® (SMA) was first announced in July 2012. Created by the manga publishing company COAMIX Inc., SMA aims to spread the love for manga and support international creators all over the globe. To support international supporters even further, the best of the best from SMA may receive the chance to enter the MasterClass – a community of international creators who produced high quality entries beyond the expectations of the SMA judges. After joining the MasterClass, creators are offered professional editorial support and opportunities from the SMA Editorial Department in order to work towards their Japanese manga debut.

COAMIX Inc. is a publishing company that was established in 2000 by manga industry icons Nobuhiko Horie, Tsukasa Hojo (City Hunter), Tetsuo Hara (Fist of the North Star), and Ryuji Tsugihara (Yoroshiku Mecha-Doc) who also judge the SMA rounds. COAMIX’s manga magazine Monthly Comic ZENON publishes internationally renowned works such as Record of Ragnarok, Unsung Cinderella, Arte, and Wakako-zake. It also holds several manga auditions throughout the year, seeking talented manga creators in Japan and across the globe.
The company’s foundation is manga, but their vision reaches beyond paper and ink. COAMIX supports creators by organizing international manga camps and manga festivals, prodiving manga lessons in Japan and to international creators, and developing other programs such as the Artists Village Aso 096k.

The Artists Village Aso 096k is located in the idyllic Takamori Town in Kumamoto Prefecture. Its purpose is to create an environment where young artists can learn and develop their talents in a friendly rivalry. The Artists Village also welcomes the best of the best of the MasterClass members to learn the art and technique of creating great manga by working next to the other manga creators in the Village.