PROFILE
Pen Name / Name: Yoikaha
Your social media profiles: Instagram: @yoikaha 
Country: Indonesia
Age: 22
Favorite manga: Look Back
Favorite movie: The Grand Budapest Hotel
Favorite quote: “I’m not like them, but I can pretend. The sun is gone, but I have a light. The day is done, but I’m having fun. I think I’m dumb, or maybe just happy.” ― Nirvana

Entry title: “Little Lesson”
Round: SMA21: “The Biggest Surprise”
Award: Excellence Award

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“Take your pen and make some manga! Don’t think too much about the result, just do it!”

About SMA

How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award?
Receiving this award is a bittersweet experience. While I’m incredibly grateful, it also comes with a sense of responsibility to continue creating work that is meaningful and inspiring. But still, winning this award makes me very, very happy!

What was the inspiration behind your awarded work?
I’m the kind of person who never talks about my problems or asks for help from others. Maybe that’s where the idea for this manga came from. I was reading Heaven by Mieko Kawakami when I thought it would be appropriate to combine my own personal problems with the theme of bullying.

What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them?
For me, the biggest challenge of making manga is finishing it. Making manga takes hours of drawing every day just to finish a story that will probably be read in a few seconds. Knowing that makes me wonder why I’m willing to spend so much of my time making manga. I tried to overcome this issue by not thinking about anything while drawing, and instead just focusing on following the story I had created and drawing it. I also thought that maybe those few seconds could be meaningful, and would always be remembered by readers, just like when I read other people’s manga.

READ Yoikaha’s SMA21 ENTRY 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?
I created my first manga when I had just graduated from high school. At the time, there was an Indonesian publisher that opened submissions for manga to be published in its monthly magazine. I submitted two very bad works (I only realized how bad they are now), and of course, they were not accepted. Even though they weren’t accepted, the publisher’s kind comments kept me from giving up on making manga. Knowing that, I wish I had started making manga sooner!

My advice for someone who wants to start making manga is to start small first, for example, make a 4-panel or even 2-panel manga, focus on completing a story first, and then slowly increase the quantity of panels.

Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools?
I draw storyboards by hand, and the rest of it – the sketches, line art, effects, etc. – I do digitally using Pen Display in Photoshop and Clip Studio Paint.


What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live?
The first manga I read was Naruto, when I was in middle school. I found it in the school library, and I was very happy to find something fun to read among the boring stacks at the time, but unfortunately the library did not carry the complete series. Bookstores were far away from where I lived, so I mostly read manga online.

Which manga changed your life?
Solanin by Inio Asano changed the way I look at life. I read it right when I was dealing with uncertainty in my twenties. It made me realize that what I’ve been dreaming of might not come true in the future, and that’s the reality of life. Even so, at least I want to keep trying to pursue my dreams without worrying too much about the outcome.

Which manga character do you most identify with? Why?
I think Kiriyama Rei from March Comes in Like a Lion by Chica Umino. Maybe it’s because I’ve always felt a deep sense of loneliness, like Rei, who often feels alienated from his surroundings. Although he’s quiet, he actually wants to make friends with others, but is at a loss for conversation starters, and I can relate to that. But unfortunately, I’m not a genius like him, haha.



What kind of manga do you want to make next?
I’m not sure about that yet. However, I’m interested in creating a story that has a bit of a supernatural element because I like reading Haruki Murakami’s works. They give me the sensation of dreaming with my eyes open.

In my country, there is no well-established market for manga. Also, there is not a lot of demand for original manga and fewer opportunities for creators to get their work published. It used to be possible to submit work to publishers, but now it’s not possible because comic publishers are having financial difficulties and are on the verge of bankruptcy.


About You

What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax?
Besides making manga, I do commissions quite often. But sometimes drawing all the time makes me feel bored, so I indulge in entertainment to kill that boredom. In my spare time, I like to play video games. Lately, I’ve been helping my friend who just started playing Elden Ring. Seeing him struggle and die so many times makes me happy, hahaha 😀. Other than that, I read manga and novels, watch anime and movies, or just randomly strum on my guitar.

What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)?
I’ve been doing manga commissions for other people, which helps me to pay for college and my living expenses. So yeah, for now making manga is my main job, although sometimes the manga I draw is not for myself.

Where do you see your manga career in five years time?
I’m not quite sure, but I think I’ll continue to make more one-shots. I still have a lot of stories that I haven’t made into manga yet. In the next five years, I hope to get serialized and go to Japan. That’s just my wishful thinking.

What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could?
A letter to my younger self: “Dear younger me, what are you doing!? Stop wasting time! Take your pen and make some manga! Don’t think too much about the result, just do it!”

What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®?
Silent manga is a great medium for channeling emotions that cannot be expressed in words, so make the most of it. Make sure your story can be easily understood without words by using strong visuals, clear paneling, and effective body language to convey emotions and actions. And most importantly, make sure you have fun while making it. Ganbatte!

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

The deadline to join SMA22 is February 2nd. Enter for a chance to develop your potential as a manga creator with us in Japan!