SMA22 – “Seized with Rage” – SILENT MANGA AUDITION®

The World's Biggest Manga Audition.That could launch your japanese manga career!

The SILENT MANGA AUDITION® (SMA) is the world’s biggest manga audition, exclusively for manga without dialogue. By drawing silent manga, talented international creators can also get the opportunity to join the Japanese manga world. Draw your characters’ expressions full of emotion and heart to work towards your dream debut!

Tsukasa HOJO

With each round, we get more and more submissions from talented, young creators. We welcome submissions from people of all ages, and we truly look forward to seeing the innovations this new generation of creators will bring!

Tetsuo HARA

Your drawings do not need to be perfect, as long as the character’s emotion is well conveyed. They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and this is true for manga as well. The best tool for readers to understand your character is their facial expressions. We hope you will wield this tool to show us the depths of your character’s anger!

Ryuji TSUGIHARA

Each round, the SMA theme is quite simple: one of the basic human emotions. In order to show us that basic human emotion, it’s important to keep your story simple, as well. Well-portrayed, yet suprisingly simple scenarios will resonate with readers the most!

Jun TOMIZAWA

The heart and soul of manga is its characters. Get a general idea of who your characters are first, before finalizing any other story element. What specifically makes your character furious? I look forward to seeing how you portray your character’s rage without dialogue!

Nobuhiko HORIE

One of the goals of this competition is to give chances to creators who would normally be locked out of the manga industry. We welcome young, overseas talent with a deep interest in Japanese manga. This could be your chance to break into the Japanese manga market, so don’t be afraid to enter!

ZENON Editorial Dept.

This competition is open to everyone around the world, regardless of age, gender, race, or nationality. Furthermore, there are no language barriers in silent manga, and we welcome entries of any genre. Truly, this competition is a great equalizer. However, a manga creator’s job is to entertain the readers, so when creating your submission, be sure to prioritize comprehensibility and the enjoyment of the readers!

Some are filled with rage on a daily basis, while others only feel rage when it really matters. What is it that makes your character’s blood boil with rage? Is it an insufferable person they meet every day, a wrongly tied shoe, or an injustice they stumble upon on their way home late at night? Give us a taste of what makes your characters burn with a passionate rage!

Title: Portrait of the Devil

Creator: PoodPoopsie

The 10th Kyushu international Manga Award – Excellence Award

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Title: The Runaway Clown

Creator: Don

The 10th Kyushu international Manga Award – Excellence Award Runner-Up

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Title: DOCTORCIST -SEIMEI-

Creator: Sideburn004

June Edition of Monthly Comic ZENON

READ HERE

Submission Period

November 1st2024

February 2nd2025

Judging Period

February 2nd2025

March 31st2025

Results Announcement

April 30th2025

Join SMA to Make Manga at the Artists Village Aso 096k in Japan!

Top-awarded entrants who show their talent, professional approach, and will to work in Japan may be invited to the Artists Village Aso 096k in Takamori Town (Aso, Kumamoto)! There, you 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 your Dreams.”

The SMA judges evaluate SMA entries based on the following criteria. Above all, conveying your characters’ expressions is the most important.

Emotions

Characters’ emotions are expressed and displayed clearly.

Originality

The story and setting display your originality.

Composition

The theme is conveyed well through a story that’s easy to understand with enjoyable paneling.

MANUSCRIPT

NO DIALOGUE. Tell your story through images alone.
Reading order from right to left, preferably monochrome only.
Use the theme of “RAGE” as the core of your story.

FILE SIZE

2MB or under.
JPG or PNG files only.
JPEG files are NOT accepted.

WHAT IS ALLOWED

Multiple entries.
Entries from partners, groups, etc.
Onomatopoeia (SFX) in any language, text in traffic signs, book titles etc.
The use of legally obtained 3-D models or assets that are copyright-free or are approved for commercial use.

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.
The use of AI generated-software to produce drawings.
The use of emojis as dialogue.

SMA Rules and Guidelines Page　>>

B4

Trimmed artwork area: 220mm x 310mm
Main content area: 180mm x 270mm
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. Page Layout Guidelines HERE (B4 Size) >>

Tsukasa HOJO Tetsuo HARA Ryuji TSUGIHARA Jun TOMIZAWA Nobuhiko HORIE Monthly Comic ZENON Editorial Department SMA Editorial Department

Meet the Judges　>>

Submission Agreement　>>

Join SMA to Make Manga at the Artists Village Aso 096k in Japan!

Excellence Award

Excellence Award Runner-Up

Honorable Mention

ALL Entries Receive Editorial Feedback

All entrants receive FREE 3 Month Trial Clip Studio Paint EX