HELLO SMA22 AWARD WINNERS, Pearlyn M. x Anzuarden_Art!
PROFILE Pen Name / Name: Pearlyn M./ Yuki (Anzuarden_Art) Country: United States/Indonesia Age: 25/27 Social media: Instagram: @anzuarden_art X: @anzuarden_art Favorite manga (Yuki): Solo Leveling Favorite movie (Yuki): The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of The Ring Favorite quote (Yuki):“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela
“For those who want to start drawing manga, my advice is to utilize the internet; study your favorite manga, learn anatomy to create dynamic poses, observe how dynamic panels are created, and keep drawing!”
About SMA
How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? Yuki: It was thrilling! It’s the first time I collaborated on a piece that won an SMA award, and at first, I doubted I’d ever win. I’m really happy that I did at least get in the honorable mentions, it was exciting!
What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? Pearlyn: Personal experience with getting angry whenever I kill bugs.
Yuki: I couldn’t really say that there was any particular inspiration, since the story was written by Pearlyn, but I do have referenced some ideas and funny expressions from memes and pop cultures, as well as some comedy manga.
What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? Pearlyn: Admittedly the hardest part was deciding whether I wanted to be risky or play it safe. Unlike my other entry, this one was simpler and focused on one specific scene of killing a roach. Ultimately, both entries received honorable mention, so I’ll be sure to get even more creative next time.
Yuki: Starting was the hardest part, I guess. Working with the script, trying to figure out the best way to arrange the panels and poses, while trying to figure out how to convey the story without a single word is quite challenging, this is the first time that I did it. In the end I just kept going and slowly built up my confidence and finally managed to finish it.
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?
Yuki: The first time was when I was a kid, I did try to make some silly Pokémon comics. I wish I had known more about paneling and how to angle my perspectives better as a beginner. As for advice, I think learning the fundamentals like how to make a great paneling, poses, and character expressions are very important! Don’t be afraid to try, you will inevitably look back at it and cringe in the future, but that’s a clear sign that you have improved and got better knowledge of how to make a manga!
Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? Yuki: I do it fully digitally. I use an iPad Pro M2 and an apple pencil as my main hardware and Sketchbook (I know, not procreate or CSP, weird) as my sole drawing software, whether for manga making or art commissions.
What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live? Yuki: I think it was a Kung Fu Boy manga. Not really, I had to travel for hours to get a physical copy back then. Which manga changed your life? Yuki: Probably Fire Punch. Reading it made me decide to start learning how to draw manga and make cool stories.
Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? Yuki: I haven’t really thought about it that much really haha Probably Origin from a manga with the same name by Boichi. He’s an android that learns what it means to be human. I guess I kinda feel the same way.
What kind of manga do you want to make next? Yuki: I’m developing my own webcomic series, an action fantasy manga, Stranger’s Shell. Though it will take a while since I also had to work on commissions, since I couldn’t really earn anything being a manga creator by myself here in Indonesia.
About You
What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? Yuki: I game on my laptop or watch movies, YouTube too.
What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? Yuki: Currently still at digital art, as a freelance character artist and concept illustrator.
Where do you see your manga career in five years time? Yuki: Not sure, but I will try my best to see my first manga continued and finished!
What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? Yuki: Draw everyday if you can, even just a little. Practice and keep practicing, and learn to manage your time. It’s a limited currency that you can never earn again.
What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? Yuki: Keep it entertaining! Don’t rush, try being creative in the ways you convey the story and character’s thoughts and feelings through their expressions, movements, and interaction with others! And most importantly, don’t give up, no matter how hard it gets.
Thank you, Pearlyn M. x Anzuarden_Art! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!
HELLO SMA22 AWARD WINNERS, Pearlyn M. x Cyrus Romanes!
PROFILE Pen Name / Name: Pearlyn M./ Cyrus “Tarotski” Romanes Country: United States/ The Philippines Age: 25/35 Social media: Pearlyn’s Instagram: @pearlyn.m Cyrus Romanes’s Instagram: @tarotski Favorite manga (Pearlyn M.): PandoraHearts, Kowloon Generic Romance Favorite manga (Cyrus Romanes): Kyou Kara Ore Wa!! Favorite movie (Pearlyn M.): Train to Busan, The Great Gatsby (2013), Ring (1998) Favorite movie (Cyrus Romanes): The Hangover Trilogy Favorite quote (Pearlyn M.):“All the bright, precious things fade so fast…and they don’t come back.” – Daisy Buchanan
How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? Pearlyn: It feels amazing! I received the news at 3AM and couldn’t sleep after reading the results. It was especially shocking to find out both my entries received recognition from Japanese professionals. Winning the honorable mention keeps me motivated to continue to aim for higher awards, as I know I can do better in the next round.
Tarotski: It feels great! It was my first time winning an honorable mention (I won two editorial awards in past rounds). Hopefully the excellence award is next lol!
What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? Pearlyn: My partner attends a venue located behind an art studio. It’s full of gaming cabinets and he and his friends play games like Street Fighter, Tekken and more. Sometimes they host tournaments. The environment and community inspired me to make a story based on my observations.
Tarotski: Pearlyn (writer) made the story. It was heavily inspired by fighting game tournament shenanigans. I just gave my own flavor to her wonderful writing! What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? Pearlyn: Admittedly, the hardest part is creating a successful twist, but without making the story “convenient” for the sake of convenience. It’s something I’m continuously working on and am hoping to improve as I practice.
Tarotski: Deadlines! You just have to do several all-nighters!
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? Pearlyn: When I was in high school, I created over 50 pages of traditional manga of an old fantasy story. I didn’t have any skills and knew nothing about writing techniques. For those who want to start drawing manga, my advice is to utilize the internet: study your favorite manga, learn anatomy to create dynamic poses, observe how dynamic panels are created, and keep drawing! Also, read Araki-sensei’s Manga in Theory and Practice.
Tarotski: I started making my own manga when I was in third grade. I stopped for a while, but I wish I hadn’t, and had instead just drawn consistently as I grew older. My advice is just to keep working on it, and eventually, if you put your heart fully into it, your hard work will pay off.
Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? Pearlyn: As a writer, I don’t draw my manga. Instead, I collaborate with manga artists. However, I have drawn digitally on Adobe Photoshop, Paint Tool SAI and Clip Studio Paint.
Tarotski: I draw my manga digitally now. Medibangpaint is what I’m using. It’s ui- friendly! What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live? Pearlyn: Keroro Gunso! I was raised in Hong Kong and Cantonese manga was very accessible. Now, I live in a big city in the United States, so manga is still thankfully obtainable.
Tarotski: My first tankobon was Slamdunk Vol. 5! It’s not that easy to find manga where I live, and it wasn’t that popular back then. Which manga changed your life?
Pearlyn: Pandora Hearts left a huge amount of emotional damage for a good few years after I finished it. I had a hyper fixation on Pandora Hearts during high school. I simply love Mochizuki-sensei’s style of storytelling; she “drip feeds” her information and the plot twists were unexpected. I am also obsessed with TheCase Study of Vanitas.
Tarotski: Kyou Kara Ore Wa! It’s the manga that really inspired me to make my own manga seriously!
Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? Pearlyn: Vanitas from the Case Study of Vanitas. His personality reminds me of myself. He loves to banter, tease, is never serious, but gets vulnerable and emotional during moments that trigger him. Dazai from Bungou Stray Dogs is a close second. Both characters also struggle with mental health. I have a history of knowing what that feels like, so their dark humor is relatable.
Tarotski: I’ll say Krillin. I’m not the best, but I can do things well enough lol.
What kind of manga do you want to make next? Pearlyn: A horror or a tragic romance. In my country, a challenge I face is that being a mangaka outside of Japan is still a growing niche, but I’ve noticed more opportunities are slowly coming.
Tarotski: I really want to create an action manga series. The only challenge here in the Philippines is the lack of acknowledgement in the manga/webtoon industry. Also, there is still a heavy bias towards western culture in the community.
About You
What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? Pearlyn: I enjoy making reels on Instagram, writing short stories and watching anime. I also love being a Connect 4 champion, beating friends in UNO and sleeping.
Tarotski: I just spend quality time with my wife and my two cats.
What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? Pearlyn: I work as a full-time case manager at a mental health crisis unit.
Tarotski: I’m a full-fledged freelance manga artist.
Where do you see your manga career in five years time? Pearlyn: I hope, in five years, I’ll have already debuted as a mangaka in Japan! I work with an agent, Fukunaga-san, from the Hivemind Literary Agency, which is a service under the Japanese entertainment agency, Qdopp Inc. The goal is to get a manga adaptation.
Tarotski: I’m just hoping to release my own work. I’ve been working on it slowly and steadily.
What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? Pearlyn: Study up on the KI-SHO-TEN-KETSU.
Tarotski: Stop procrastinating! Focus on your work and sit straight! You, stop slouching! Yes, I’m talking to you!
What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? Pearlyn: Focus on forming an emotional connection. While beautiful illustrations and a good story are important parts of making manga, creating emotional catharsis through body language, facial expressions and reactions readers feel will make your characters appealing and relatable.
Tarotski: Don’t be afraid to experiment and fail. Enjoy every page and panel you create! It’s a fun experience, no matter the results!
Thank you, Pearlyn M. x Cyrus Romanes! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!
Artists Village MasterClass Member Mage’s Japanese Manga Debut!!
Our talented MasterClass member, Mage, makes history again, this time with her official manga debut! Her debut has been serialized both in physical form, in the manga magazine Monthly Comic ZENON, as well as digitally on the official Comic ZENON website!
This is the third manga series drawn by a MasterClass member in the Artists Village! Mage has followedSone Amaya and Moritaka Neko’s footsteps in making SMA history!
Fraulina, a highborn and beautiful young woman, never thought she’d live past childhood. Her incurable illness made her as good as dead… until she was miraculously saved by the genius mage, Reynold. It was that moment she fell in love with Reynold and pledged to marry him! Ten years later, at the age of 18, Fraulina is determined to marry Reynold. There’s just one small problem… Reynold has been banished from the kingdom and completely lost his will to live! Fraulina barges into the situation, determined to save Reynold, and soon enough, Reynold’s life has been turned completely upside down by Fraulina’s incredible abilities and infectious personality. This is how Fraulina and Reynold, banished and living at the edge of the world, begin their roller coaster of a married life!
Take your first step towards your own manga debut by joining SMA! The deadline to join SMA23 is October 1st, 2025. Enter for a chance to develop your potential as a manga creator with us in Japan!
HELLO SMA22 AWARD WINNER, abnormality!
PROFILE Pen Name / Name: abnormality Country: Singapore Age: 25 Social media: Instagram: @ab_nor_mality X: @ab_nor_mality 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
“I personally studied a lot of the past winners’ works as references, and I would advise others to do the same.”
About SMA
How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? It’s honestly an honor! I was quite surprised that I won something, considering the sheer volume of entries this round.
What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? I thought about creating a relatable story and character, and one of the settings that came to mind was the workplace, so I decided to base my narrative on that. What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? This was more or less the first time I tried to properly create a manga, so there were many things I was unfamiliar with, such as layouts, screen tones, etc. I tried studying different types of manga and looking up resources on manga creation, and then tried my best to apply what I saw.
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’ve been drawing since I was young, but I only tried my hand at manga in the past year or so. Well, I’m still sort of a beginner, so I don’t think I have much advice to give, but there’s quite a few online resources which are quite accessible these days, so I’d direct anyone interested to look those up.
Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? I draw digitally, with a Huion Kamvas tablet, using Clip Studio Paint. What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live? It’s been so long that I honestly don’t quite remember, but it might’ve been a series like Naruto or One Piece. I don’t think it was particularly accessible at the time, but it is a lot more so now. Which manga changed your life? I don’t think there’s a singular work I’d credit as being ‘life changing’. For me, I think many works I’ve read have impacted me in some way or form, even if I don’t realize it. I guess, if I had to pick one of the most impactful overall, perhaps it’d be Tokyo Ghoul.
Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? Probably Oikawa Tooru from Haikyuu!!. His ambition and hunger to succeed in his craft, as well as the insecurity he feels when faced with those inherently more talented than him, are personality traits I find incredibly relatable.
What kind of manga do you want to make next? I would like to try making longer one-shots with more complex narratives next, to further test my skills. The industry for comics here is very small, and there are few opportunities to publish.
About You
What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? I usually either play games or read manga/books.
What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? I‘m a 3D artist.
Where do you see your manga career in five years time? I don’t have any strict expectations per say, but I do aim to participate in as many manga contests as I can in the near future. Hopefully, my efforts will bear fruit in some way.
What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? Just start making it! No matter if you think your skills are good enough. Starting is the most important thing.
What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? I personally studied a lot of the past winners’ works as references, and I would advise others to do the same. Study different works from different prize categories and understand what made their works good. You can even look at the judges comments for further reference.
Thank you, abnormality! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!
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
“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!
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.
Thank you, codelune! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!
PROFILE Pen Name / Name: LT Country: Thailand Age: 32 Social media: Instagram: @lt.draws X: @DrawsLT Favorite manga: Umimachi Diary, Silver Spoon, Assassination Classroom Favorite movie: Lady Bird Favorite quote: “Are you willing to risk looking like a fool for love, for your dreams, for the adventure of being alive?”
“There is no avoiding failing sometimes if you want to succeed. It is just part of the process of growing.”
About SMA
How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? I felt very joyous for my work to be recognized, and I was a little surprised too, since so many great works were submitted. To think that someone read my work and enjoyed it is the best feeling in the world.
What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? I was partially inspired by my own experiences and those of the people around me. I’m someone who always refrains from speaking my mind in the name of keeping the peace, but later I usually feel bad about it. First, when I learned that the theme was “Rage”, I pondered what rage is and how it forms. People often see rage or anger as a negative emotion, more typical to antagonists. However, I feel like every antagonist has their own reasons and their own story. A lot of times they are just normal people who are pushed to do negative things. So, when writing about rage, I wanted to write about this aspect of it. I wanted to write a story where rage is not the antagonist, but just a person who’s been hurt too many times and can no longer stay quiet. I hope that the story was able to convey my message.
What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? I struggled to tell the story within the page limit. I know I should have picked a less complex story, but this story means a lot to me, and I really wanted to tell it. My solution was to write the story as compactly as possible, then have a friend read the storyboard to see if he could still understand it. The first couple of times my friend got a little confused with the events in the story, so I fixed the storyboard until he could understand.
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 have been drawing for most of my life and have tried drawing manga casually here and there. However, I only started writing manga seriously with the aim of publication a few months prior to the audition. Before this, I wish I had known that completing a project from start to finish is extremely helpful for your learning process. Even if you know the project is not going to come out perfect, if you push through and finish it anyway, that experience will be extremely valuable.
Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? I draw all my manga and illustrations digitally. My tools are my iPad and Apple Pencil. I use Procreate.
What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live? The first manga I read was Rave by Mashima Hiro-sensei. I first saw the anime on TV and it piqued my interest, so I went behind my parents’ backs and bought a few takobon volumes. I’m from Bangkok, where it’s not difficult to buy manga. There used to be a lot of manga shops in areas where there were a lot of tutoring schools. However, there are less now, since more people opt to buy manga online or read manga on applications instead of buying takobon volumes. Which manga changed your life? Attack on Titan by Hajime Isayama and May Love Be Your Life Long Poetry by Sa-ard.
Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? It is very hard to choose only one, but if I have to, I would say I relate a lot to Tsukishima from Haukyuu!! in the summer camp arc, when he didn’t want to take volleyball too seriously and said it was just a club activity. However, in reality, he was scared that if he took it seriously, it would hurt much more when he failed.
I feel like I’ve had the same feeling about drawing for a long time. However, like Tsukishima, I have learned that fear of failing will take you nowhere. There is no avoiding failing sometimes if you want to succeed. It is just part of the process of growing.
What kind of manga do you want to make next? I want to write manga for my younger self. I read a lot of manga when I was younger. I also had a troubled mind at that age as well. There were some manga that I read back then with characters I could relate to, and that made me feel less alone. I want to write a manga that can make people feel less alone in their struggles.
About You
What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? I read manga and books. I sometimes go to the cinema or watch shows on Netflix. I also like walking around the city, exploring places I’ve never been to before, talking to people who I meet in those places, and learning ways of life that are different from my own.
What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? I work in the IT industry. However, I am working towards making manga my full-time job.
Where do you see your manga career in five years time? I would like to make manga a full-time job in 5 years, so I can focus all my energy on writing manga.
What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? Finish the project, even if it’s not perfect. Talk about your passion with people around you, so they can support you. Every path has obstacles; there is no easy path. The question is whether or not the goal at the end of the path is worth fighting for.
What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? Be true to yourself. Tell your story the way no one else can, and good luck!
Thank you, LT! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!
SMA21 Grand Prix Runner-up monami Takes the Top Prize in the 13th Kyushu International Manga Award!
We are excited to announce that monami, winner of the SMA21 Grand Prix Runner-up, tied with Rakuyou for the top prize in the 13th Kyushu International Manga Award with her manga, Fleeting Light! monami brings the same sensitivity and empathy to Fleeting Light as she did with her SMA22 piece, Heartfelt keepsake.
Fleeting Light is the story of Kian, a paparazzo who is apathetic about his job, but feels resigned to his current life. However, when he meets a mysterious, young actress, long-suppressed feelings rise to the surface. Pulled into a spur-of-the-moment adventure by Anika, the actress, Kian begins to remember his past ambitions. Fleeting Light asks the question: do dreams ever truly die? Or do they simply need a small spark to reignite? Follow Kian and Anika on their journey to photograph a rare comet, and in the process, find the bravery to dream.
To commemorate the award, a Q&A article with monami was published in the magazine alongside Fleeting Light. Read on to learn more about what inspired monami to create this award-winning manga!
How do you feel about winning this award?
I’m incredibly happy and thankful to receive this award!
I wanted to tell a story about people who give up on their dreams too soon, and to remind them that it’s never too late to chase those dreams. Around that time, I was fascinated by stars and planets, so I decided to mix the two ideas together.
What do you think is the best part of this piece?
For me, the heart of the story is the character’s realization that his work and passion truly mattered, and that it had the power to touch lives in the way he had always dreamed it would. So often, we get caught up in rejections and setbacks, and we lose sight of the impact we’re capable of making.
What did you struggle with when creating this piece?
Coming up with the story and script was definitely a challenge. It went through many changes, and there were moments when I wasn’t even sure what I wanted. But thanks to my editors, who worked with me patiently as a team, I was able to refocus and bring it all together in the end.
Was there anything you tried to keep in mind while creating these characters?
I wanted the characters to be guided by what they truly wanted in life. Their desires are what bring them together. I liked the idea that they could help each other get what they were looking for, and that meeting each other made that possible.
What are your favorite manga?
Recently I have been reading Naoki Urasawa-sensei’s works. I want to improve my storytelling and I find his works to have very engaging storytelling.
What kind of manga do you want to draw next?
I want to try my hand with a tragedy and a serious kind of story.
What is your latest obsession?
Skincare. Sooner or later, we all get there.
Do you have any final comments for the readers?
Never give up on your dreams! Fight for them, so you won’t have any regrets. And thank you for reading my manga!
Do you want to be published in Japan as well? Take the first step and join SMA23!
HELLO SMA22 AWARD WINNER, Ric Yang!
PROFILE Pen Name / Name:Ric Yang Country: China Age: 22 Social media: Instagram: @ricyan_art Website: www.ricyan.com Favorite manga: Ajin: Demi-Human Favorite movie: Achilles and the Tortoise Favorite quote: “Work smart, not hard.” Entry title: “The Weight of Days” Round:SMA22: “Seized With Rage” Award: Excellence Award Runner-up
“Done is better than perfect. Even if you’re not fully happy with your work, just finish it and submit it.”
About SMA
How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? It honestly feels like a dream. I entered this round just to give it a try, with zero expectations, so hearing that I had actually won was completely surreal. Even now, it hasn’t fully sunk in.
What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? For most people, the hardest part of life is simply getting through the day. I wanted to portray that exact struggle – how “just making it through” sounds easy, but often feels overwhelming. Much of the story is drawn from my real experiences during my university life in New York. Waking up hungover on a couch, knowing I had a full day ahead of me; seeing a homeless person relieve himself in a subway car; learning that my favorite Popeyes had been deep-frying rats in the kitchen… These absurd and frustrating moments became the emotional backbone of the story.
What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? Before this, I had always done traditional hand-drawn illustrations, so I struggled at first with the decision to either stick with what I knew or switch to digital. Since there was less than a month left before the deadline, I chose digital, even though I was far from confident in it. I just knew it was the only way I’d make it on time!
That’s when I started learning how to use Clip Studio Paint. I’m honestly quite clumsy with tech, so I kept accidentally deleting my sketches. Plus, I was using an iPad, and the app kept lagging terribly. Each page could only handle two layers: one for the sketch, and one for the final linework. There wasn’t any room for coloring or cleanup layers. That limitation really drove me crazy. Some of my sketches are lost forever because I had to delete them just to free up space for a single extra layer. I guess that’s one way to “solve” the problem, lol.
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’ve loved reading manga since I was a kid, and I also started formal training in drawing, such as sketching and oil painting, pretty early on. When it came time to choose my college major at 19, I went straight for illustration.
At 20, while studying at the School of Visual Arts in New York, I met my professor Yuko Shimizu. She’s a world-renowned Japanese illustrator and an amazing professor. Through her classes, I realized that many of the techniques she used in her own illustrations were rooted in manga. That really opened a door for me, and I started thinking seriously about making manga myself.
After that, I made a couple of silent manga attempts, but each one ended after just a few pages. This SMA entry is actually my first fully completed manga.
As for advice, I don’t think I’m in a position to preach, since I’m just starting out myself. But if I had to say one thing, it would be this: figure out what you’re good at. Don’t just work hard, work smart. That’s made all the difference for me.
Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? As I mentioned earlier, I’ve always felt more comfortable working by hand. If you look at my other pieces, you’ll notice I often use traditional tools like calligraphy brushes and brush pens in my illustrations. For digital work, I mainly use Photoshop and Procreate. I don’t need anything too fancy – just something that lets me color and adjust tones easily is good enough for me.
What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live? The first manga I got into was through a weekly comic magazine in China called Zhi Yin Man Ke. It was super popular when I was in elementary school and featured a mix of different manga stories. Back then, manga was easy to find; it was available at grocery stores, bookshops – basically everywhere. Now I live in Georgia, USA, and it’s a different story. Most local comic shops here mainly carry American comics. It’s really hard to find the Japanese manga I love.
Which manga changed your life? Definitely Attack on Titan. It was the first time I realized a manga could dive so deep, both thematically and emotionally. The ideas explored in that manga gave me a completely new perspective on life and the world around me. Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? Rainer from Attack on Titan. Hajime Isayama portrayed his internal struggle so vividly – the feeling of being mentally broken, of barely holding on, but still being dragged forward by fate. I really connected with that. His pain and survival instincts felt painfully real to me.
What kind of manga do you want to make next? I want to keep creating silent manga or stories with minimal dialogue, where the visuals do most of the storytelling.
As a manga creator outside of Japan, the hardest thing is finding the right platform or art director who really understands your work. You can have something meaningful to say, but if there’s no one to receive it, it just floats in the void.
About You
What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? If the weather’s nice, I’ll go to the beach to swim and soak up some sun. If it’s gloomy, I stay in and play video games.
What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? I am currently a full time graduate student majoring in illustration.
Where do you see your manga career in five years time? Honestly, I’m not entirely sure. But if things go well, I hope I’ll be able to support myself through manga. Or, at the very least, not lose money doing it. I’d love to have a book in print someday. Beyond that, I just want to keep drawing and telling weird, yet honest, stories. What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? If I could go back five years, I’d tell myself to start making manga earlier. Stop obsessing over tools and style, and focus on the rhythm, panel flow, and storytelling. That’s the real heart of manga. The style will come, but you have to know how to tell a story first.
What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? Done is better than perfect. Even if you’re not fully happy with your work, just finish it and submit it. That’s what I did. I honestly didn’t think I’d win anything, but because I completed it, my work was seen.
Thank you, TAGASAING! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!
PROFILE Pen Name / Name:Kal or TAGASAING Country: The Philippines Age: 25 Social media: Bluesky: @tagasa.ing Tumblr: @tagasaing X: @tagasaing Favorite manga: Land of the Lustrous, Orb: On the Movements of the Earth, Emanon Favorite movie: Mulholland Drive Favorite quote: “Everything I learned in my life, I learned because I decided to try something new.” David Lynch Entry title: “Catharsis” Round:SMA22: “Seized With Rage” Award: Excellence Award Runner-up
“While a great art style is a major contributing factor to your chance of winning, people tend to value pacing, ‘camera’ work, and the quality of the story just as much or even more.”
About SMA
How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? I’ll admit, I wished my work placed a bit higher at first, but it eventually sunk in that I placed in the top 10 out of 1101 entries. There were people with really high quality art that didn’t even place, so I’ll take it as a win. The editorial department told me that I was “almost there”, so I’ll keep that in mind.
What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? Growing up, I had a bit of a temper problem. Sometimes I wished there was a place where I could let it all out. I’m a lot calmer now, but this story was based on the feelings I had in the past.
What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? I found out about the contest really late, so I had less than 20 days to work on it. I also had a hard time deciding on the path to take my story in, but, fortunately, I had my friends act as editors.
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’ve been drawing manga ever since I was a kid. I would take printer paper, staple it into a book, and then draw on it. When I was in high school, I used to have a popular Facebook page where I posted art and manga I made. Looking back now, the manga I posted was a bit stagnant – there were too many bust-up shots, I avoided drawing backgrounds, etc., so I’m fixing that now. While practice makes perfect, you should also practice with purpose. Improve your writing skills at the same rate you improve your art, too.
Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? I drew Catharsis digitally in Clip Studio Paint EX, but it inspired me to buy analogue tools to practice with after. I’m addicted to buying screen tones now, haha.
What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live? I’m not entirely sure what exactly, but the earliest manga I remember reading was Pokemon Adventures at my school library, specifically when Yellow was the main character for a while. Right now, manga can be found in bookstores everywhere, but that wasn’t the case growing up. Which manga changed your life? Tons of manga inspired me, but one that stands out is this obscure vintage manga called “Highteen Boogie”. It’s the only complete tankōbon set I own, and I won it in an online auction. The art is timeless and very stylish, and looking at it made me want to draw. It’s a special feeling to find manga that inspires you to make your own.
Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? There’s this mascot character known in English as Joke Bear, whose creator posts short manga on Twitter. It’s mostly slice-of-life manga, so I find it very easy to relate to. “I’ve been tired since the morning~ I’m also tired in the afternoon~ but for some reason at night~ I’m wide awake!”
What kind of manga do you want to make next? I’m hoping to make more one-shots to iron out the kinks in my creation process, but my ultimate goal is to successfully pitch a manga to a big publisher. It’s a coming-of-age drama about two neurodivergent kids in a rural mountain town setting. Anyway, Komiks as an industry is undervalued, despite having an abundance of talent. They’re badly marketed, they don’t get the fanbase they deserve, and plenty of creators seek opportunities abroad because of this. I hope this will change one day and that the local industry will follow Japan’s footsteps in cultivating their talent.
About You
What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? I cycle through a variety of hobbies. I’ve picked up sewing character dolls, making 3D models, painting 3D printed models, building diorama sets and a lot more. Right now, I’m coding my portfolio site.
What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? I’m a freelancer. In the past, I’ve worked on storyboards for commercials, manga for textbooks, and even yonkoma ads. I’m quite unhappy with the quality of my ‘corporate’ work, so lately I’ve been trying to do art for myself to improve.
Where do you see your manga career in five years time? A serialization or a multi-book deal would be great. I hope to have my own studio in the future. What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? I wish he had started submitting to contests earlier, honestly. Start developing your stories already!
What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? While a great art style is a major contributing factor to your chance of winning, people tend to value pacing, ‘camera’ work, and the quality of the story just as much or even more.
Thank you, TAGASAING! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!
PROFILE Pen Name / Name:Adzukirin Country: Indonesia Social media: Instagram: @adzukirin X: @Adzukirin Age: 16 Favorite manga: Blue Period, Fool Night, #DRCL midnight children Favorite movie: Look Back Favorite quote: “‘What makes the desert so beautiful,’ said the little prince, ‘is that somewhere it hides a well…” – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
“Read lots and lots of manga, watch videos, draw more, and give it your all!”
About SMA
How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? It’s so surreal to me. I’ve never received an award in any competition, so I was very surprised to see that I received one here! I’m really proud of this achievement, and it makes me want to create even more comics!
What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? All of my other ideas involved more serious topics and depictions of violence. I wanted to stray away from that because it seemed too grim. Rage can come from many sources, even trivial ones. I wanted to make a comic that was relatable to many, and an annoying encounter seemed like the best concept. It was easy to structure and enjoyable to draw.
What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? I started the brainstorming stage very late, so I only had around three weeks to finish my manga. On top of that, I had a lot of school work to do, so January was a very stressful time for me! I was disappointed that I couldn’t deliver higher quality illustrations, but I’m glad I could submit it on time.
I only previously drew painterly Western-style comics, so doing a lot of line art and using screen tones was a first. It was definitely a tough experience, and I still have a lot to learn. After this process, my respect for all manga artists multiplied tenfold!
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 remember filling out many lined notebooks with crude, magical girl comics in grade school. Unfortunately, I no longer have them. I wish I did more panelling and layout exercises to fully grasp their purpose. It can really heighten a scene and make every page look new and refreshing. Panelling is just as important as the dialogue and artwork. My advice to someone who wants to start drawing manga is: draw anything that inspires you. Be it a small act of kindness, an important event or something purely fictional, just keep drawing and telling stories.
Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? I draw comics digitally with a Huion monitor and a laptop. I also occasionally try to draw with a dip pen and ink.
What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live? I used to always pick up a volume of Doraemon whenever we stopped by the bookstore. The paper quality was thin, and the ink went everywhere, but I would read them over and over again. I grew attached to the characters and started to draw my own comics. I’m lucky to live in a time when manga is highly accessible and popular! Which manga changed your life? I remember reading I Want to Eat Your Pancreas and ending the book with overflowing tears and a huge lump in my throat. At first, the title threw me off, but it makes total sense after you read it. The manga plays with your emotions so well. I wish I could experience it again! Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? Yatora Yaguchi from Blue Period! When he sees art that inspires him, or when he has a sudden burst of energy from a eureka moment, he gets so excited and thoughtful. I also find that when I am in museums or galleries, my thoughts get absorbed into the world of art, its intentions, history, and meaning. That’s the best feeling in the world.
What kind of manga do you want to make next? I want to make more original one-shots and fanart, but my home country is rather conservative, and although art and manga is quite popular, it’s considered childish and immature. Some people don’t understand that it takes a lot of logic and effort to do creative work. I’m grateful to have many supportive people around me, but I can’t help but notice that even they have sometimes tried to veer me away from this path. I just want to make more art, no matter where I am. It takes small steps to reach big goals.
About You
What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? I love to play and discuss indie games, as well as to read comics (go figure!). I also tend to watch multiple TV shows at once. I’m really into Dr. House, ƎNA, and Orb: On the Movements of the Earth right now!
What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? I’m still a student at the time of writing this. I want to major in graphic design or anything related to visual media.
Where do you see your manga career in five years time? The concept of AI art and image generation brought down my dreams seemingly overnight. To be honest, I’m not sure if I can achieve these dreams at all, as the future is too uncertain, but I really hope I can attend local conventions to showcase and sell my art and comics. I have visited several conventions in the past year, and it has been a rewarding and fulfilling experience each time. I loved meeting passionate and like-minded people, and many of them inspired me.
What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? The biggest traitor is your memory. If you think you can’t remember a sudden idea, go grab a pen and write it down on the nearest surface! Also, be patient and take your time with panel layouts and character designs. The planning stage is just as important as the production stage.
What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? Keep your story simple and concise. 17 pages is not a lot of space at all to tell a story with an introduction, build-up, climax, twist and a conclusion. Read lots and lots of manga, watch videos, draw more, and give it your all!
Thank you, Adzukirin! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!
