PROFILE
Pen Name: Syoera
Age: 29
Social network profiles: X: @notsyoera, Facebook: @Notsyoera
Country: Vietnam
Favorite manga: Meshi Dungeon, Nobunaga Concerto, Honey and Clover, Parasyte
Favorite movie: Interstellar, Supernatural
Favorite game: God of war 4 – 5, Ace Attorney, Pokemon RSE, Yakuza, Final Fantasy 7, Dragon Age 2, Paper Please, Detention
Favorite book: Fountainhead by Ayn rand, A Brief History of Everything by Ken Wilber, The Power of Geography by Tim Marshall

Entry title: “On the edge”
Round: SMA20: “Memorable Smile”
Award: Grand Prix Runner-Up

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“Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

About SMA

How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award?
I was very excited to receive the news of winning the prize, because this is the first time I’ve won a manga award, and it’s even a major one like the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®!


What was the inspiration behind your awarded work?
At first, I wanted to draw cats, because I have cats at home and watching them every day is really interesting! But I didn’t know where the cat would be or what it would be doing…in general, I had many different ideas like drawing daily life of a cat whose owner is away from home, or the main character bringing home a pregnant cat and taking care of it. But in the end, the main reason I chose the idea that I drew was because it was funny, and because of its message about controlling the wild cat population in the city.

What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them?
For me, the most difficult part of drawing manga is probably the process of selecting among the script ideas and then doing a thorough research. I struggle a lot and I often have to discard many different ideas due to inappropriate length, or because they seem to be too ridiculous…sometimes I feel discouraged and don’t even know if I’ll be able to enter the competition in time, lol.

READ Syoera’s SMA20 ENTRY HERE!

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About Your Manga

How and when did you start making manga? Any advice for beginners?
I’ve been drawing ever since I can remember. I’ve been drawing on every possible surface: in notebooks, on cardboards, even on the walls! I still keep several old notebooks full of silly comics I made, and occasionally revisiting them still makes me laugh a lot (mostly because of how cringy they are). But they’re still precious to me.

Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools?
First, I draw the name on my small tablet. Based on the name, I then create sketched pages with Clip Studio Paint. After that, I print out the detailed sketches on paper with blue ink and begin inking them by black ink pen, then scan them back onto the computer for digital editing. In general, both digital and analogue methods have to be fully utilized to finish my manga pages.

What was the first manga you picked up?
Doraemon, or Sailor Moon. It could also be Chibi Maruko. Or the short works of Osamu Tezuka-sensei.

Which manga changed your life?
In middle school, it was Honey and Clover. Recently, it’s probably been Meshi Dungeon and Chi – Chikyuu no Undou ni Tsuite.

Which manga character do you most identify with? Why?
No one. I see them as individuals being in their own world with their own personalities and lives, while I am myself.

What kind of manga do you want to make next?
Well, actually, whenever I have an idea that I like, I’ll just draw it, so I’m not sure about the genre anymore. But it will probably lean towards realism, the little things in daily life, or the ordinary things that appear around us but we often overlook. Although I still have a lot to learn about drawing more realistic stories.

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About You

What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax?
Playing games, making games, reading manga, and playing with cats. Additionally, I also enjoy chatting with friends about anything possible.

What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)?
I’m a freelance artist most of the time. Occasionally, I also dabble in making indie games for fun.

Where do you see your manga career in 5 years time?
I want to create products that I can be proud of.



What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could?
Just keep doing what you’re doing.

What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®?
Do whatever is worthy of the time you spend in your own precious life!

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

There’s time until July 1st to join SMA21 and have a chance to develop your potential as a manga creator with us in Japan!