“Escape From My Broken Engagement to The Prince”, a Webtoon Drawn by the Artists Village MasterClass Series, Has Been Serialized on Major Japanese Manga Platforms Starting on April 27, 2024!
COAMIX Inc. is pleased to announce that, starting from April 27 (Sat.), the webtoon series, 『王子様の婚約破棄から逃亡します 「ここは乙女ゲームの世界！」と言い張る聖女様とハッピーエンドのために手を組みました』(lit. “Escape From My Broken Engagement to the Prince: I Teamed Up with a Saintly Lady Who Insists, ‘This is a World of Otome Games!’ to get my Happy Ending!”) has been serialized on LINE Manga and eBookJapan! In this story, a “saintly woman” from another world lends a helping hand to Kate, who is engaged to the handsome prince Gilbert, so that they can fall in love.
Title:
『王子様の婚約破棄から逃亡します 「ここは乙女ゲームの世界！」と言い張る聖女様とハッピーエンドのために手を組みました』 ‘Oujisama no konyakuhaki kara toubou shimasu Koko wa otome geemu no sekai! to iiharu seijo sama to happii endo no tame ni te wo kumimashita’ (lit. “Escape From My Broken Engagement to The Prince: I Teamed Up with a Saintly Lady Who Insists, ‘This is the World of Otome Games!’ to get my Happy Ending!”)
Story: Ichibu Saki (Everystar) Storyboard: Yumisaki Art: MAGE・Damdam・yoonmi・Enewald・Vanilla →This webtoon was drawn by SMA MasterClass members working in the Artists Village Aso 096k. The main line art is by MAGE, the backgrounds are by Enewald and Vanilla, Damdam did the coloring, and everything was finalized by yoonmi!
Summary
In the Kingdom of Ernesia, it is customary for royalty to marry “saints” who possess mysterious powers. Kate was born a saint in this kingdom, and is engaged to the second prince, Gilbert, but for some reason, he treats her coldly. Then, a new “saint” is summoned from another world. Fearing that Gilbert will break off the engagement, Kate tries to escape from the castle, but the person who offers her help is the alleged “saint” from another world…!
PROFILE Pen Name: Heol Age: 21 Social network profiles: Instagram: @heol_m Country: France Favorite manga: One Piece Favorite movie:Azur and Asmar: The Prince’s Quest Favorite quote: “Let us dare before we die.” ~Rilès
“I create stories rich in emotion, be they negative or positive.”
About SMA
How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? I didn’t expect it at all. I’m grateful and touched that my story could please the judges to this extent! It encourages me to continue creating manga!
What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? I lost my great-aunt last year, so this story is inspired by my real life, and the plot twist is almost true, except that I left her a recent drawing of mine. I wanted to pay this tribute to her and to all the loved ones who have passed away. What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? This story falls within my comfort zone (nostalgia, the concept of passing time), so it wasn’t the manga that gave me the most difficulties. However, I could say that juggling completing my pages with student life wasn’t always simple. However, with a shonen spirit, I managed to get through it!
How and when did you start making manga? Any advice for beginners?
Since I could talk, I’ve been inventing stories. Once I started drawing, I never stopped. I would copy cartoons, redraw Mickey and Donald, or create my own characters… Then I discovered manga! At around ten or eleven years old, I created my first manga with a childhood friend. We dreamed big and wanted to show it to publishers. It was called ‘Elements Fury’, and it was about two boys embarking on an adventure, who had powers granted to them by magical stones.
The most important thing was that we had fun, it was something we were genuinely passionate about, and it brought us together to create our pages. So, my advice would be to not get disillusioned with drawing and manga (it happened to me) and to enjoy telling our authentic stories. We tell our stories best when we draw from what we know.
Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? Before, I used to draw my manga by hand, but now I’ve switched to drawing digitally for time-saving purposes. I’ve had my computer and graphics tablet for six or seven years. However, I hope to get an iPad. I would like to be able to draw everywhere without being limited to my desk!
What was the first manga you picked up? My father bought me Dragon Ball from a second-hand store, but it wasn’t even the first volume. It was during the Namek saga, if I remember correctly!
Which manga changed your life? Without hesitation, I would say One Piece. There are many reasons, but mainly because it’s a true refuge from the real world, and I only find that feeling with a few manga. It’s the only work where I absolutely do not want to die before reading the end! Otherwise, I really love Tokyo Ghoul, which had a big impact on me during my adolescence and in shaping my identity.
Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? That’s a tough question! I’ve thought about it, and I’d say I identify with Armin Arlert from Attack on Titan. At first, he’s physically weak, not very skilled, and he relyies on his stronger friends for help. However, his greatest strength lies in his mind; he thinks and understands things quickly. As he evolves, he becomes stronger physically and mentally, eventually earning the blind trust of others and taking on great responsibilities. I feel like he represents me quite well. What kind of manga do you want to make next? All my manga are designed to embody what I call the ‘Heol spirit’. I create stories rich in emotion, be they negative or positive. However, I always end on a hopeful note. ‘Heol’ means ‘sun’ in Breton, and I want to leave a warm and positive impact, even if my stories start off dark.
About You
What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? When I’m not creating manga, I spend time with my partner, friends, family, and my dog. I watch a lot of videos on YouTube, TV series, and anime. Of course, I also read and write.
What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? I’m a student in comic art until May. When I finish my final year, I’ll present my publishing portfolio to publishers, then I’ll try my best to make a living from manga while finding additional income at the beginning!
Where do you see your manga career in 5 years time? In five years, I want to have a community of readers who appreciate my stories and are touched by them! Regardless of my path to getting published, I hope to create manga every day, whether it’s one-shots or a series. I don’t really have an ultimate dream, as long as I can succeed in working from home and doing what I love!
What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? You should read more manga and work on anatomy more! (Oops… that’s advice for now too!)
What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? Don’t hesitate to read old stories that have been published and won awards. Try to understand why they succeeded and how their creators conveyed emotions. I especially think of monotone_ink, who is a huge inspiration for me, whether it’s his delicate line work, art style, layout, or composition…he is a major inspiration that has motivated me a lot!
Be courageous!
Thank you, Heol! We’re eagerly expecting your next manga masterpiece!
PROFILE Pen Name:Maxime Barlé Age: 21 Social network profiles: Instagram: @bram.art_ Country: France Favorite manga: My Hero Academia Favorite movie: Everything Everywhere All at Once Favorite game: Undertale Favorite quote: “It’s not about being the best, it’s about being better than you were yesterday.”
“Even if you don’t like the result, or you think there’s room for improvement, take pride in your work!”
About SMA
How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? It’s the first time I’ve won a prize in a contest, so I’m very excited about it. It’s an honor and it motivates me to keep drawing manga! What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? I wanted to represent my character’s boredom and malaise externally. That’s when I came up with the idea of a rain cloud that would constantly disturb him. I then thought about how he could get out of this situation, and the idea of an encounter with a sunny, cheerful character came to mind!
What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? My biggest challenge was probably the layout of the story. I was worried that the story would take up too much space, and that I wouldn’t have enough room to show the characters’ emotions properly. I also didn’t have a lot of time to draw this manga, so I had to be very organized in order to make it on time!
How and when did you start making manga? Any advice for beginners? I started learning to draw in 2019, which was when I discovered manga. Seeing so many different stories, with such varied themes, and which provoked so many emotions in people, inspired me to start drawing. One piece of advice I could give would be to always take a step back from your work. Always ask yourself what could be improved, but also to be proud of what you achieve. Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? I draw the whole manga digitally on my ipad with Clip Studio Paint.
What was the first manga you picked up? I discovered manga at the beginning of high school. Since I really liked superhero films, a friend recommended My Hero Academia to me. At first it was hard to adapt to reading in the opposite direction, but I quickly got the hang of it and couldn’t stop!
Which manga changed your life? My Hero Academia. It’s still my favorite manga today, and if I hadn’t discovered it back then, I certainly wouldn’t have learned to draw and decided to pursue this path.
Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? I identify most with characters who want to become the best and constantly surpass themselves, like Izuku Midoriya from My Hero Academia, or Shoyo Hinata from Haikyuu. As an artist, I’d also say Yatora from Blue Period. What kind of manga do you want to make next? A manga with captivating characters and strong emotions! The genre doesn’t matter, as long as I’m having fun and can create beautiful shots.
About You
What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? I like watching films and TV series, or reading manga.
What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? I’m a student at a manga school.
Where do you see your manga career in 5 years time? I’d like to be serialized in France!
What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? Try to understand the manga artist’s intentions behind their work and analyze it instead of just reading it.
What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? Even if you don’t like the result, or you think there’s room for improvement, take pride in your work!
Thank you, Maxime Barlé! We’re eagerly expecting your next manga masterpiece!
PROFILE Pen Name:Gentle Coda Age: 23 Social network profiles: Youtube: @gentle codaInstagram: @gentlecoda X: @gentlecoda Country: Australia Favorite manga: Classmates, Memoirs of Amorous Gentlemen, NANA, Goodnight Punpun Favorite movie:Sympathy for Mr.Vengeance Favorite quote: “Are you the strongest because you’re Gojo Satoru, or are you Gojo Satoru because you’re the strongest?”
“Trust that you’ll improve the more you learn and practice.”
About SMA
How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? It feels very surreal. I am so thrilled and honored that the judges read and liked my work. I am incredibly grateful for everyone who has helped me along the way!
What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? It came about when I was sitting at a cafe in Taiwan, journaling stream-of-consciousness about friendship. I was trying to understand what friendship is, how people become friends, what sorts of boundaries it has, etc. It led me to think about friends who came from different backgrounds. I was intrigued because people’s attitudes towards life are so different, yet something brought them to the same place at the same time. Then, I decided to make a manga about this aspect of fate. What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? Storyboarding was the most difficult for me. I thought a lot about the composition of the panels and the composition of the whole spread, as well as how to make the character carry out actions smoothly. I started off as a perfectionist, wanting each page to flow nicely right away. This led me to not draw anything, so instead I ended up drawing many versions of the storyboard and things began progressing!
How and when did you start making manga? Any advice for beginners? I started making manga when I was 12. I wrote short comics about my friends and anime crushes. It became a silly short series and it was just a lot of fun. I copied a lot of art from One Piece, Bleach, and Nisekoi: False Love when I was 13. I also wrote a silly 55-page shonen one-shot for a competition. I wrote it on manuscript paper, using ink nib pens and sticker screen tones. It was such an exciting, fun memory! After that, I took a long break, and only started drawing manga again in the last couple of years. So, my advice for people thinking of starting out, or revisiting manga after a long time, would be not to get too discouraged about the quality of your work. Please draw your ideas, even if you think they are bad or cringy. Trust that you’ll improve the more you learn and practice. Right now, the most important thing as a beginner is not to give up! I’m rooting for you.
Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? I draw my manga digitally on Procreate, using an iPad and an Apple Pencil. I make a reference mood board on Procreate, then export it to Photos. My go-to tool is the split screen function, where I put my reference collage on the left quarter side of the screen, and my canvas on the right side.
What was the first manga you picked up? My uncle collected manga, and I’d read them whenever I went to his house. The first one I read was Detective Conan, and it was seriously traumatizing. That being said, I love the secret identity trope to this day! My uncle also had the complete collections of Doraemon, Dragon Ball, and Dr. Slump, which I read around the same time.
Which manga changed your life? I felt very emotionally invested in Hunter X Hunter, and it was the manga that made me start drawing digitally. I am now an illustrator who primarily draws digitally, and it all started when I became a fan of the art in HxH! I find Togashi-sensei’s characters all very charming, and some characters’ relationships were especially interesting to me, especially Killua and Gon’s friendship, as well as Hisoka’s morals. The first time I read it, I was literally crying throughout the whole arc. Before that arc, the story was very light and curious, with two kids traveling around. I was so shocked at how quickly they were thrown into a cruel world, and was very upset that they had to experience so much pain when they were still so young. The two boys had trained a lot and had become confident in their own strength, only to face a harsh reality that really pushed their characters to the edge. I loved that arc so much! I loved the way that HxH immersed me in its world and characters. Reading it for the first time was an unforgettable experience.
Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? I identify with Nana Komatsu from NANA. Before, I’d never seen a character quite so realistically anxious about relationships as her. When reading her narration at the time, I felt so validated. What kind of manga do you want to make next? I want to make a coming-of-age drama that will gently break the readers’ hearts, tell them that it’s all going to be okay, and then heal them again.
About You
What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? I am usually illustrating or making videos! To relax, I make Satosugu reels, read books, play video games, play badminton, and hang out with my family and friends. If I’m overseas, I find it relaxing to draw or read in cafes, try out local cuisine, and go sightseeing.
What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? I am an illustrator!
Where do you see your manga career in 5 years time? I see myself publishing manga either online, in graphic novels, or making a webtoon! I also see myself drawing some Satosugu doujin. I also would like to build a community with my audience which feels like a cozy cafe.
What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? I would tell her to not stop drawing, and that it’s possible to make a living from art.
What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? Think about how you want your story to flow and how the composition of your page affects the clarity of the story for the readers. Draw your page in a way that is easy for the reader to follow the story. Do the best you can now because the world is excited to see more of your ideas!
Thank you, Gentle Coda! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!
PROFILE Pen Name:Zaki Age: 25 Social network profiles: Instagram: @Zaki_el_frutero X: @Zaki_el_frutero Country: Spain Favorite manga: Pluto Favorite movie:The Apartment Favorite quote: “A man is what he does with what has been made of him.”
“If you stay firm, drawing becomes something truly incredible.”
About SMA
How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? It feels great! As I’ve mentioned before, this SMA was my last chance to try working as a manga artist. Having this opportunity has given me the boost I needed.
What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? It had been a long time since I drew horses, so I came up with a story that involved a lot of them!
What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? The main issue was the lack of time. I had just finished a publication for a magazine, which left me with little time for the audition. The solution was simply to work all day long!
How and when did you start making manga? Any advice for beginners? I started drawing manga because becoming a manga artist became a viable career option in my country. I had always dreamt of being a manga artist, but working in such a field seemed impossible when I was younger. As soon as I saw the first issue of a domestic manga magazine, I knew I had to be a part of it!
My advice for people who are just starting is to keep all the drawings they make! Learning to draw takes time, but often things get lost along the way. Many times, I’ve found myself reviewing old drawings and saying, ‘Hmm, this stroke, or this way of drawing the nose has its charm. I should use it again.”
Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? Generally, I do almost the entire process digitally, but I usually develop the storyboard with a pencil. If I need to take notes or emphasize strokes, I do it with a G-pen.
What was the first manga you picked up? Honestly, I don’t remember, but I would bet it was a copy of Berserk that my cousin showed me when I was still little. I think that was my first exposure to manga!
Which manga changed your life? Without a doubt, it was Billy Bat. I vividly recall the scene of Albert Einstein sitting in a chair and thinking, ‘This is the best thing I’ve ever seen in my life.’ The combination of real characters with a fictional plot truly fascinated me. When watching a historical movie, the thought that they are actually actors playing a role doesn’t fade from my mind. However, seeing it drawn in manga made it seem even more real than real life.
Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? I’ve never thought about it, but I’ve always liked Edward from Fullmetal Alchemist. He’s so cool that it’s hard not to want to be like him. What kind of manga do you want to make next? I’ve always wanted to create humorous stories, but every time I end up developing long narratives, they become more dramatic than I’d like. In the future, I’d like to be able to create something funny and relaxed.
About You
What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? I usually play video games, but I do it less and less, recently. I’ve partly lost interest, but I also think my wrist needs a break when I stop drawing. In recent years, I’ve been interested in cooking. It serves as a relaxing time between drawing sessions!
What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? Last year, I worked as a waiter to pay for my studies. I dedicated my remaining free time to trying to improve my drawing skills. Before I got into drawing, I used to work as a graphic designer.
Where do you see your manga career in 5 years time? I don’t know, but I’ll do everything in my power to keep drawing.
What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? Learning to draw, especially in a short period of time, can be very frustrating. Improving your drawing skills means realizing that the drawings you thought were amazing a month ago were actually quite bad. Seeing flaws where there were none before makes you doubt your own judgment. It’s definitely an exhausting process! But if you stay firm, drawing becomes something truly incredible. I feel a little bad giving this kind of advice. I think my drawings are far from good, especially considering my age! But I hope that if someone sees themselves reflected in me, this advice helps them!
What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? Never give up!
Thank you, Zaki! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!
American MasterClass PoodPoopsie’s awarded manga printed in Japan now available in English!
MasterClass member PoodPoopsie from the United States received an award in the 10th round of the “Kyushu International Manga Award!” and was featured in the March 2024 issue of Monthly Comic ZENON! PoodPoopsie’s 39-page entry for COAMIX’s 10th Kyushu International Manga Award, “Portrait of the Devil” marks her first award in a Comic ZENON manga contest. She is also the third MasterClass participant to be recognized with a Kyushu International Manga Award, along with monotone_ink and Enewald!
The following is a comment from the special judge of COAMIX’s 10th Kyushu International Manga Award, Kei Koga-sensei (“Trace: Recollections of a Forensic Researcher”) about PoodPoopsie’s entry:
The atmosphere of the work was unique and the illustrations were engaging! The three main characters’ principles were somewhat clear to me, but I felt that the story lacked some vital explanation, which would make it much easier to understand.
“Portrait of the Devil” is a one-shot manga that tells the story of a clumsy, but good-hearted painter named Faust, who can’t seem to live up to the ideals of his renowned master, Silas. When a grave illness leaves his master bedridden, Faust takes it upon himself to create Silas’ paintings, which are scheduled to be exhibited at the Crystal Palace. However, there is more to his master’s immense success than talent alone, and, unknown to young Faust, dark forces lurk behind his success…
A special illustration, an interview, and a comment from PoodPoopsie were featured in the March 2024 issue of Monthly Comic ZENON, which we have translated below.
1. How do you feel after receiving this award?
I am very grateful to have received an award this round! I am very thankful to my editors and SMA for making this possible. However, I have high expectations for myself, so I will aim for an even higher quality manga next time.
2. What was your creative process behind this entry?
The original concept for this story came from a storyboard class I was taking. I was inspired by the film, The Picture of Dorian Gray, as well as by my own artistic journey. The original concept is very different compared to what we have now, as I went through many iterations.
3. In your opinion, what is the best part of this entry?
I enjoy the twist of using Baal’s demonic powers to trap Silas in the painting. Whether I executed that well is a different story. However, the idea of using Baal’s powers to trap someone in a painting is the main thing I did not change from the original story. I typically think about the twist first and the characters second. I think that is both a strength and a weakness of mine, as my characters are not as strong as I would like, and I often change them to suit the twist.
4. What was the hardest part in drawing this entry?
I think I struggled the most with understanding the strengths and flaws of my original concept, such as what I needed to keep and what I needed to take out. The original story and the current story are very different from each other, but both have their strengths and weaknesses. It was definitely a good learning experience. I will try to do better next time to understand the core strength of my story.
5. What aspect of character creation did you put the most effort into?
I focused on a dark academia and Victorian aesthetic for this manga. Some of the outfits are not historically accurate, though. For Silas’ outfit, I took inspiration from Reginald Hargreaves’ outfit from The Umbrella Academy. For both Baal and Faust, I tried to incorporate a lot of moving patterns. This is something I like to lean into for monster designs. Faust’s hair is his main design point, and it involves spirals to create a sense of movement.
6. What manga have you been reading recently?
There are a ton of manga I enjoy reading. A few of them are Kaiji, Detective Conan, and Inuyasha.
7. What kind of manga do you want to create next?
I want to write more fantasy manga in the future which have monsters as the protagonists or deuteragonists. Writing a one-shot with a bittersweet ending would be interesting as well!
8. What are you most interested in lately?
Recently, I’ve been reading “The Legend of the Condor Heroes” and watching adaptations of Jin Yong’s works. In the future, I think I would like to try making a wuxia (Chinese: 武俠) manga as well.
9. Can you give a message to our readers?
I want to thank my editors for sticking with me for so long just to create this piece! Next time, I will do my best to make something that will be even more satisfying to read!
PoodPoopsie’s work is just one of the manga created by theSMA MasterClass that has won an award in Monthly Comic ZENON’s manga contests! With the support of the SMA Editorial Department, the MasterClass members show their potential to Japanese readers each year.
PoodPoopsie’s workhas also been published IN JAPANESE on the ZENON Editorial Department’s website! Take a look and leave a comment to support her by clicking the banner below! ❤️
HELLO SMA20 AWARD WINNER, Lufty Adam!
PROFILE Pen Name: Lufty Adam Age: 21 Social network profiles: Instagram: @sgt.boisketcher, X: @adam_lutfy Country: Singapore Favorite manga: One Punch Man Favorite movie:Back To the Future Favorite quote:“What’s the deal with airplane peanuts?”~Jerry Seinfeld
“How dedicated you are is how far your art will improve.”
About SMA
How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? It’s a huge deal for me. Not only because I rarely win anything, but because getting Grand Prix Runner-Up was something truly unexpected. After a failed attempt from entering the previous round and coming out with not much, I’m glad the effort put in for this story paid off.
What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? At the time, I was watching a lot of ‘kaiju’ movies. Watching two giant monsters fight it out was really cool to me, and I wondered why there wasn’t any recent manga with a kaiju lead in it. But looking at the previous SMA works, the idea seemed too conflicting with the normal fluffy deep emotional meaningful stories that seemed to be the winning factor in the competition. Nevertheless, I liked the challenge, and in the end I came up with a fairly simple prompt for the story: “A cute, touching story with a ‘kaiju’ in it!” What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? The biggest challenge was juggling the time for work, family and drawing. I was also serving my national service (it’s mandatory for Singapore boys) as a military driver so there were times where I had to stay several nights in the camps. Luckily, I could bring my laptop in so I could work on my manga some more in my free time.
How and when did you start making manga? Any advice for beginners? I took an interest in the art form in secondary school as I had just gotten into anime and I wanted to make my own stories. But I only really started seriously making manga after getting my diploma. I was studying animation and also found storyboarding lessons to be very useful when making manga. As for the advice…I’m a beginner myself but, all I can really say is: draw what’s cool to you. Drawing lessons can also be very helpful and there’s lots of them online. How dedicated you are is how far your art will improve.
Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? I draw digitally and very much enjoy it. Going digital is definitely more convenient and at times also speeds up the work process. I mainly use Clip Studio Pro as it’s not only affordable, but provides many useful tools. For example, its manga page organizer. And paneling tools. Those are at least the few I can think of that I mostly use in my works.
What was the first manga you picked up? My first manga was My Hero Academia. It’s what made me want to draw my own manga in the first place. Kohei Horikoshi-sensei’s works also inspired my drawing style a bit.
Which manga changed your life? Saguri-chan Tankentai. It taught me to appreciate the outdoors more and go outside every now and then.
Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? I would say Akira from Zom 100: Bucket List of the Dead. I admire his outlook on life, and how he stays positive. There’s a point in the story where he tries to give back as much as he can to his parents, which I find relatable. You gotta give back to your folks at some point in your life after all. I guess he reminds me to think about family every now and then. Also, much like Akira, I can be dumb and enjoy stupid humor as well. What kind of manga do you want to make next? I enjoy stories with comedy and action so probably something like that. I would also like to write a story that takes place in my hometown. Local flavors make things interesting after all. More shōnen manga that’s as original as possible is what I am aiming for, I guess.
About You
What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? Aside from playing online games with friends, I do cycle in the parks in my free time. Not as much now though since I started national service.
What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? Well, currently I’m serving my national service as a military ambulance driver. Day in and day out, I’m on standby at a medical center ready to bring sick or injured soldiers to the hospitals. The job isn’t really that “badass” though.
Where do you see your manga career in 5 years time? I dream of getting published by “Weekly Shōnen Jump.” But realistically, I would either quit all together or find a smaller international publishing magazine. I do love making manga though so hopefully my manga career takes a good ending.
What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? I’m quite content with the skill I have now. But I guess I would tell my younger self to start making manga earlier on paper. It would be nice to have some amateur physical drafts from my younger self to read every now and then.
What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? The only advice I have really is to add an aspect of something you love to the story you’re making. That’s what I think is what makes one’s work stand out in my opinion anyway.
Thank you, Lufty Adam! We’re eagerly expecting your next manga masterpiece!
PROFILE Pen Name:Akari Sayaka Age: 17 Social network profiles: Instagram: akari_sayaka2006, X: @AkariSayaka01 Country: Ukraine Favorite manga: Pandora hearts, Alice in Borderland, The Summer Hikaru Died Favorite movie: Joker, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children Favorite quote: “Noblesse oblige” (sounds cool)
How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? Firstly, I thought I was still dreaming in my bed, when I saw the results. I was really surprised (even shocked) but mostly, of course, I felt proud and happy that my work was appreciated so highly in such a big manga competition!
What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? I wanted to convey the character’s feelings with the help of interesting visual elements, many of which did not immediately come to mind. I was prompted to this idea by SMA’s previous works, as well as other works with interesting visual solutions. This inspired me to look at the everyday story from the other side and add interesting elements. The always introverted boy finally opens his heart and gets accepted…I like this story having a good end. What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? I started drawing this manga about a month before the deadline, after I finished a different work. At that time, the classes at my university also began. Another question was whether I could fit the story into 17 pages, but in the end everything went quite smoothly and I was able to submit the work before the deadline.
How and when did you start making manga? Any advice for beginners? I started making manga when I was about 11 years old with my finger on my phone. Maybe I was inspired by manga since I first read one and wanted to create one by myself. As a beginner myself, I think it’s important to understand that there are many objective assessments of skills. However, there are even more subjective ones and comparing yourself to others is not always effective. No one is perfect, there will always be those who are better than you, but as for me, it is important to strive to ensure that compared to all of the “yesterday’s” you, today’s you are the best.
Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? I often draw with pencil and paints, but my work place looks kinda messy. So I prefer to draw manga digitally with a graphic tablet, computer, pen and inspiration. 🙂
What was the first manga you picked up? My first manga was Pandora hearts. I also think that it was one of the reasons why I started drawing manga; I was captivated by the graceful and sophisticated style of this manga. It gave me a boost.
Which manga changed your life? I think it’s also Pandora hearts, because, I could say, it was the place where my dream started. However, if I were to name another manga that changed my life, it would be the 4-panel manga “Ukraine no Akari-chan,” which I started drawing from the first days of the war. I think that from that moment on, my life became even more closely connected with manga.
Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? Had to think about this question for some time. And now I think that I could identify myself with Phos (Phosphophyllite) from The Land of Lustrous. I think I’m somewhat similar to her character at the beginning and the middle of the manga. We also have some similarities in hairstyle and I like her sense of humor. If associating myself with one of the Pokemon, then it is most likely Eevee. This is one of my favorite Pokemon. What kind of manga do you want to make next? I’m interested in creating mystic or dark mystic manga. Mysterious and elegant atmosphere, the contrast of images of beauty and cruelty, as well as the potential of this genre give me an inspiration to new ideas.
About You
What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? When I don’t draw manga I usually do homework from university, but when I have time, I like to relax by drawing sketches in my notebook while watching anime or go for a walk with friends.
What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? Now I’m studying graphic design in university but want to become a professional manga artist.
Where do you see your manga career in 5 years time? In 5 years I’d want to have my own popular manga series. I’d like to successfully create unusual and interesting manga in Japan and become a professional. I’m also going to strive to get an anime adaptation of my manga one day, just like in Bakuman!
What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? If I could give my past self an advice in making manga, it would be “Keep improving! Don’t give up!” I just wish my past self was more confident (as well as my current self, though). All my mistakes have helped me grow in one way or another, I appreciate them. The thing is not to repeat them again in the future.
What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? SILENT MANGA AUDITION® is a kind of project everyone can take part in and get a chance for their dreams to come true. Manga without dialogue is also a great way to improve your emotional expression skills, so if you feel up to it and want to get involved, there’s no limit to it! Just do it!
Thank you, Akari Sayaka! We’re eagerly expecting your next manga masterpiece!
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
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.
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.
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!
Thank you, Syoera! We’re eagerly expecting your next manga masterpiece!
PROFILE Pen Name:Plushelisa Age: 18 Social network profiles: X: @plushelisa, Instagram: @plushelisa Country: France Favorite manga:Berserk Favorite movie: Parasite Favorite quote: “The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” – Walt Disney
“Start right away. Even if you don’t win, you will learn a lot!”
About SMA
How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? Honestly, I didn’t expect to win a prize at all. I’m very happy to have won. It’s truly an honor and it motivates me a lot for the future. I am motivated to progress in drawing so that I can create better stories. I was also very pleased to receive compliments on my work from manga legends; I am very grateful.
What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? I was inspired by my personal life, first of all. In my entry, the story begins with a girl who misses her train, which happens to me often! Additionally, I drew inspiration from the winning works of previous auditions. I noticed that there was often a very poetic atmosphere, so that’s what I wanted to recreate. Moreover, I was greatly inspired by Shojo manga because I find its layout very original and well-done.
What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? In my opinion, the absence of text was the most significant challenge. In my previous works, I always used the dialogues between the characters as a way to convey the story, so I had to adapt my approach. It is always harder to make a story understandable when there is no dialogue. Another challenge was to make the expression on my characters’ faces very clear. It’s important for the readers to be able to understand how they feel. I also had trouble with the backgrounds. Drawing backgrounds is always a bit difficult, at least for me, so I really worked on that aspect. Creating the script was also a challenge. Creating a story that is both simple but interesting and all this in a limited number of pages, took quite a lot of my time. To overcome all these challenges, I used the same method, which is to take my time and proceed step by step. I worked extensively on each of the aspects mentioned above. When I wasn’t content with something–for example the script or backgrounds–I worked on it again until I got something I was satisfied with.
How and when did you start making manga? Any advice for beginners?
I started drawing manga in March 2022, so it’s quite recent. I still consider myself a beginner, I still have so much to learn! However, I have always had a passion for drawing in general. I have been drawing since childhood. But I’ve really gotten back into drawing since the lockdown in 2020. Since then, I’ve been drawing every day. I wanted to start drawing manga because the idea of being able to make characters live through a story that I could create myself, was really attractive to me. I had imagined characters and a draft story for several years but I had never really taken the leap of faith to start writing my manga. I had concerns that I was not going to live up to my expectations and that I would not succeed. What really helped me get started was participating in a contest. In 2022, a French manga publishing house held a competition to win a publishing contract. So I decided to participate. Because there was a deadline and a theme, it really gave me a framework to work on. Even if I didn’t win that contest, the experience allowed me to learn a lot about the whole process of creating manga. From then on, I kept making manga.
My advice for someone who wants to draw a manga for the first time would be to start right away. I was thinking before that I had to practice more before I would reach a level to be good enough to start drawing manga. However, I can tell you that no one is ever satisfied with their current level. So it’s better to start directly. Even if you don’t win, you will learn a lot!
Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? I draw digitally on an iPad. I used ibisPaint X. It is with this software that I drew all the manga I have created to this date. It’s a software that is free and I think is quite effective for making manga. It is very intuitive and suitable for beginners. But I recently changed and I’m now drawing on Clip Studio Paint. I heard it was this software that some mangaka were using. I’m still getting used to it, there are so many features!
What was the first manga you picked up? During my middle school years, I began to read manga. However, I didn’t read a lot of it. I really started reading manga again when I was in high school. After purchasing the first volume of Berserk, I became obsessed with manga. Now I read it every day! Which manga changed your life? I’m a huge fan of Hunter x Hunter! I adore the storyline and feel a strong attachment to the characters. Chrollo Lucilfer, the leader of the Phantom Troupe, is one of my favorites across all manga. His charisma and impressive demeanor struck me. Discovering him sparked my desire to create characters of similar depth! So, it was Hunter x Hunter that inspired me to begin creating my own stories.
Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? I would say Kobeni from Chainsaw Man! I love that character. I think she’s very funny. Her perpetual fear reminds me of myself in certain situations, where I also tend to become slightly stressed. I admire that despite her fear, she takes action even when terrified.
What kind of manga do you want to make next? I would love to make manga with the characters I use repeatedly. I don’t have a specific genre in mind, I want to test everything!
About you
What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? When I’m not drawing, I review my economics coursework in the university library. And in my free time, I love going for a walk in Paris with my sister, friends or my entire family, and eating pastries in cafes.
What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? I am currently studying economics at a university. It is not necessarily my passion but I like it. Besides that, I have a part-time job. I give manga drawing lessons to children and adults in Paris. I like being able to share my passion, I find it very rewarding.
Where do you see your manga career in 5 years time? In five years, I would still like to draw manga and would not mind being published. It would really be a dream come true.
What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? I’m going to offer her the same advice I previously gave: “Go for it! Even if you think you don’t have the skills, go for it, young Plushelisa! (And start working on perspective immediately because you’re still struggling with it today -_-)”
What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? Make a story that you like, it’s very important! And get started! Even if you don’t think you can win, you never know!
Thank you, Plushelisa! We’re eagerly expecting your next manga masterpiece!
