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The World’s Biggest Manga Audition that Could Launch your Japanese Manga Career!

The SILENT MANGA AUDITION® (SMA) is not just a manga competition: it’s a gateway into the Japanese manga world for international creators. Just like new, aspiring Japanese manga creators, by entering the audition and winning awards, you will start working under the guidance of manga pros and legends towards your dream debut!

Alex Irzaqi
  • “Excuse Me”
  • SMA1 Grand Prix
  • “REFORMER”
  • Japanese debut work
Sideburn004
  • “Checkmate”
  • SMA8 Grand Prix
  • “Midnight Shadow”
  • Japanese debut work

Moments of HAPPINESS, AFFECTION, or TEARS are moments deeply linked between each other. Everyone experiences at least one of these moments daily. Recreate your most memorable experience involving one of those key-moments in an up to 17 page manga and prove your ability to the judges!

The 3 key moment-centered theme is the renewed way for how the Japanese Editorial Department above SMA, the ZENON Editorial Dept. finds new manga artists to create worldwide renowned manga series. Being able to represent ONE of those key moments means you have what it takes to be a manga creator in Japan!

happiness

A long yearned kiss from a lover, or the satisfaction of beating a rival after a long lasting battle. HAPPINESS is probably the most depicted emotion in history and a key moment around which many memorable climaxes have been created during the years. What makes you HAPPY? Try to show what HAPPINESS means to you in your entry!

affection

Deeply linked with both HAPPINESS and TEARS, your “Moments of AFFECTION” manga should introduce your protagonist and the person they feel AFFECTION to from the very beginning of the story, so that it will be easier to sympathize with them during the climatic twist. Will AFFECTION bring a sad or happy face to your characters? We can’t wait to see it!

tears

TEARS have different meanings depending on the moment in your life when they were shed. Children shed TEARS to receive a small present from their parents, while during their adulthood TEARS can be shed for past regrets or moments of HAPPINESS. Try to think of the most surprising and unexpected way to depict your characters shedding TEARS for your SMA18 entry!

We want to see a short, dialogue-free manga that encompasses at least ONE of these key emotional representations in an up to 17 page entry.

Let your imagination run wild with stories of any genre that utilizes HAPPINESS, AFFECTION, or TEARS as their core. The legendary SMA judges will evaluate your artistic skills, your ability to build drama with an effective climatic twist, and your paneling/camerawork skills.

More detailed information about the requirements can be found in the Audition Details section.

Invaluable feedback, cash prizes, editorial support, and most of all…the chance to come and work in Japan! What are you waiting for? JOIN US!

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The top selected entries receive financial awards, with the Grand Prix awarded entry receiving ¥500,000! By receiving a financial award, SMA hopes this will aid you in working towards your Japanese manga debut. This system is based on Japanese manga contests and even allows more than five entries to be awarded if there are a large number of high-quality entries.

The best part of the SILENT MANGA AUDITION® is that each entry is carefully evaluated and receives feedback. The award-winning works are actually judged by professional manga artists and editors such as Tsukasa Hojo, Tetsuo Hara, Ryuji Tsugihara, Jun Tomizawa, Nobuhiko Horie and the top editors of the ZENON Editorial Department

Copic and I・C join the SILENT MANGA AUDITION® to help international manga creators! The “I・C Prize” and “Copic Prize” are analogue manga prizes. The “I・C Prize” is a manga set that can be used to enjoy learning how to draw manga and use tools while looking at models and instructions, and the “Copic Prize” is a curated set of 12 markers bundled with a guide book to help you learn how to use Copic markers!

The 2 prizes will be provided to four entrants (two each) for SMA18, so be sure not to miss your chance to receive official Copic merchandise with us!

MasterClass members who show their talent, professional approach, and will to work in Japan, may receive the rare chance to be invited to the Artists Village Aso 096k and learn the art and technique of creating great manga by working next to other manga creators in the Village.

Located in Takamori Town (Aso, Kumamoto), The Artists Village was created with the purpose to nurture artists of all kinds, not only manga creators. COAMIX’s vision is to create an environment where artists can learn and work next to each other and start “Ticking towards their Dreams.”

The best of the best from the SILENT MANGA AUDITION® may receive the chance to enter the MasterClass – a community of international creators who produced high quality entries beyond the expectations of the SMA judges.

Being a MasterClass member means you are offered professional editorial support from the SMA Editorial Department; the same kind of support that Japanese manga creators receive after their talent is noticed. However, the MasterClass is just the starting point for creators who want to break into the Japanese manga industry. Work hard with your editor and you may find your work published in Monthly Comic ZENON!

* MANUSCRIPT *

・NO DIALOGUE. Tell your story through images alone.
・Reading order from right to left, monochrome only.

* PAGES *

・5 – 17 pages

* WHAT IS ALLOWED *

・Multiple entries.
・Entries from partners, groups, etc.

* WHAT IS NOT ALLOWED *

・Plagiarism, nudity, explicit violence, or material that is likely to cause offense.
・Copyrighted pictures in your entry.
・Preset photos or drawings of people and backgrounds.

For more information, please refer to the Rules and Guidelines page

* B4 *

Trimmed artwork area: 220mm x 310mm
Main content area: 180mm x 270
Trim margin: 20mm

* A4 *

Trimmed artwork area: 279mm x 198mm
Main content area: 261mm x 180mm
Trim margin: 9mm

* NOTE *

Entries done on paper should be scanned and digitized with a 300 dpi resolution.

* MON. August 1st, 2022 *

(12:00 NOON IN YOUR TIME ZONE)

About COAMIX Inc.

COAMIX Inc. is a manga publisher based in Tokyo (Japan) founded by worldwide famous manga creators. Among its many titles, “Record of Ragnarok,” “Arte,” “Unsung Cinderella,” and “Wakako-zake” stand out for being the most recent and internationally acclaimed manga series from the publisher.

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