The SILENT MANGA AUDITION® (SMA) is the world’s largest manga audition, exclusively with manga without dialogue. In this way, talented international creators have the same chance as Japanese creators to join the manga world. Draw your characters’ expressions full of emotion and heart to work towards your dream debut!
Every SMA theme is connected to human emotions, just like the auditions of our sister Japanese editorial department, the ZENON Editorial Department (publisher of the world-wide famous Record of Ragnarok). The SMA and ZENON Editorial Departments can’t wait to receive EMOTIONAL entries that will prove your ability to work on a Japanese manga series! Already, MANY audition winners have started their series with us; will you be next?!
SMA19 THEME
People are brought to TEARS for a variety of reasons: happiness, sadness, frustration, and even more! Try to clearly express through your drawings the emotions that bring your characters to tears in your SMA19 entry.
Creator: Gachikoi Nenchakujū
〜Netto Haishinsha no kanojo ni naritakute 〜
(Lit. Crazy Wild Love: I Want to Date an Online Streamer)
ALL Entries Receive Editorial Feedback
Every entry receives professional editorial feedback! The feedback will contain your entry’s strong points and highlight the aspects we’d like you to take in consideration in order to create works at a professional level!
Receive Generous Prize Money
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, which is an idea based on Japanese manga contests!
Your Work Judged by Manga Legends
The awarded works are actually judged by professional manga artists and editors such as Tsukasa Hojo, Tetsuo Hara, Ryuji Tsugihara, Jun Tomizawa, Nobuhiko Horie (the former Chief Editor of Weekly Shonen Jump) and the top editors of the ZENON Editorial Department!
Special Prizes signed by COPIC & I・C
Copic and I・C have joined SMA to help international manga creators! With 3 awesome analogue manga prizes, you can learn even more about manga making and add vibrant colors to your characters! These 3 exclusive prizes will be provided to 6 entrants (2 each for each prize), so be sure not to miss your chance to receive official Copic and I・C merchandise with us!
The Chance to Enter the MasterClass
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!
The Opportunity to Come and Work in Japan
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 in Takamori Town( Aso, Kumamoto). There, they will learn the art and technique of creating great manga by working next to other manga creators in the Village and will start “Ticking towards their Dreams.”
The top-awarded SMA recipients will be featured in Monthly Comic ZENON, the manga magazine published by COAMIX Inc.! Manga readers from all over Japan will have the chance to read the entries of the top-awarded SMA recipients, in addition to each of the entries’ comments given by the legendary SMA judges.
TOP Awarded Entries on our “MangaHot” App
The top SMA entries will be featured on COAMIX’s “MangaHot” manga app! SMA works will be published on this worldwide downloadable app and featured alongside ENGLISH-translated manga hits such as Record of Ragnarok and MOTHER PARASITE!
FREE 3 Month Trial Clip Studio Paint EX to ALL entrants!!
As a special gift, ALL entrants who complete a survey after joining SMA19 will receive a Clip Studio Paint EX 3-month activation code! Clip Studio Paint is the artist’s drawing, painting, comic, webtoon, and animation tool, loved by professionals. Don’t miss out on your chance to try Clip Studio Paint!
…and Your Entry Could be Turned into a Movie and Motion Comic!
How to Join¥500,000
¥300,000
Offer to Enter the MasterClass and Receive Editorial Support Introduction to the Artists Village Aso 096k Project
¥100,000
¥30,000
¥10,000
Excellence Award and Above to be Published on “MangaHot”
Excellence Award Runner-Ups and Above to be Featured in Monthly Comic ZENON
The SMA Judges evaluate the SMA entries based on the following criteria. Above all, conveying your characters’ expressions is the most important.
Characters’ emotions are expressed and displayed clearly.
The story and setting display the originality of its creator.
The theme is well conveyed though a story that’s easy to understand with enjoyable paneling.
NOTE: Entries done on paper should be scanned and digitized with a 300 dpi resolution. B4 REFERENCES HERE >>
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.
