PROFILE
Pen Name / Name: codelune
Country: France
Age: 22
Social media: Instagram: @codelune
Favorite manga: Biorg Trinity
Favorite movie: Whiplash
Favorite quote: “If you always worry about the past, it’s your loss because you won’t be able to enjoy the present.” – Eikichi Onizuka

Entry title: “☩ R I V A L ☩“
Round: SMA22: “Seized With Rage”
Award: Honorable Mention

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“When you only have 17 pages, it’s best to keep things simple and create a clear, understandable story. Don’t hesitate to get straight to the point.”

About SMA

How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award?
This was one of the goals I wanted to achieve, so it was an important step for me. I had already attempted to join SMA 21 “The Biggest Surprise”, but I failed to finish my piece, so it was amazing to win a prize on my second attempt at a silent manga.

What was the inspiration behind your awarded work?
I wanted to draw something I was already comfortable with, so I created a story in the medieval world, which was a holdover from my first manga. My aim was to portray two friends with opposite personalities – one extroverted and hot-tempered, the other discreet and reserved. I’ve already experienced that kind of friendship in my own life, so that’s the relationship I wanted to portray.


What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them?
Honestly, I think the one-shot format was the biggest challenge for me. I have trouble telling a story in just a few pages, as I tend to imagine too many things, make the story too complicated, and get lost in the details, rather than concentrating on clarity. Facing all these issues without being able to use dialogue was a real challenge.

To overcome this problem, I worked on the storyboard a lot, removing details that weren’t necessary for understanding the story. Or, at least, I tried to do that! 

READ codelune’s SMA22 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’d been drawing manga ever since a friend got me to read the first volume of Biorg Trinity. I loved Ogure Ito’s (Oh!Great) art style, and I also liked drawing in black and white, so it was just natural that I started drawing manga.

It was at university in 2021 that I started to write scripts more seriously (imagining the characters, etc.). I’m self-taught, and I learned a lot from the manga I read, but I wish I had started practicing inking earlier.

My advice would be to draw what you’re passionate about. Making comics requires a lot of patience, and drawing so much can be very tiring. That’s why it’s important to draw the things you love, so that you can draw them again and again without losing your passion.

Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools?
I work with traditional tools, then add corrections/details digitally (particularly screen tones). I use a Wacom bamboo graphics tablet and I have Clip Studio Paint Pro on my computer.


What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live?
It was a volume of Bleach that my cousin lent me a long time ago. (I didn’t understand what was happening in the story, but Ichigo fought Renji, and it was pretty cool to see.)

It’s really easy! In France, manga is very popular. France consumes the second largest amount of manga in the world, and we had some manga at home when I was a child.

Which manga changed your life?
It’s definitely Attack on Titan. I loved everything about that manga (especially the messages it conveys!). It changed the way I read and how I view stories in general. It’s not my favourite manga, as I prefer the anime series, but it’s probably my favorite piece of fiction, and also what inspired me to start writing stories.


Which manga character do you most identify with? Why?
I’d say Eikichi Onizuka. He spends most of his time having fun, making stupid jokes and enjoying the simple things in life. If he needs to be serious or help the people around him, however, he’s always ready. I love that part of him – when he needs to take action, he acts. Of course, I am not as great as the greatest teacher, but I happily share his life philosophy.

What kind of manga do you want to make next?
It’s always the saddest/darkest stories that make me feel the most emotional (Attack on Titan, Vinland Saga, Death Note, Terror in Resonance, Berserk, etc.). I think these works manage to tell very beautiful stories from rather dark or pessimistic ideas. Unsurprisingly, I’m more into seinen manga.

I still have a lot to learn, but at the moment, my priority is to be more efficient and faster at drawing, so I can keep up a sustainable and professional publishing schedule. 


About You

What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax?
Although drawing is a big part of my life, I’m a musician first and foremost. I mostly play drums and piano, and I like to compose music related to my manga. It makes me feel like my stories have been adapted into an animated series, and I’m the composer.

Other than that, I try to get out as much as possible and observe nature. I often come up with my best ideas when I’m surrounded by trees.

What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)?
About half of my time is spent on little jobs in different sectors (as a mover, a factory worker, or a delivery person, for example). The other half of my work time, I use to work on illustrations or commissions.


Where do you see your manga career in five years time?
In five years’ time, I hope to have released a long one-shot or a mini-series of two to three volumes. Then, I hope to start a longer series.

What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could?
Don’t neglect the basics. Designing panels and creating one-shots is important, but I think it’s pointless to rush into creating panels without knowing the basics, such as anatomy or perspective, for example.

What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®?
It’s great to have beautiful drawings (I myself often look at the drawings before anything else), but you always have to put the script first. When you only have 17 pages, it’s best to keep things simple and create a clear, understandable story. Don’t hesitate to get straight to the point. It will make reading the story more enjoyable!

I think a good story without good drawings always has more potential to be good than good drawings without a good story.

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Thank you, codelune! 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!