Tsukasa HOJO

Every round, I’m impressed with the quality of the drawings, and this round was no different. I also felt that many creators were making an effort to keep me, as a reader, engaged and entertained by incorporating jokes and surprising developments. However, on the whole, I found quite a few works from this round difficult to understand. Silent manga is all about rhythm, so if you rush, your work will become difficult to follow, but if you lag too much, readers will lose interest in the story. In the future, I hope you will consider the reader’s eye more deeply when creating your works and strive for greater comprehensibility.

Creator: City Hunter, etc.

Tetsuo HARA

I was pleased to find quite a few entrants who had clear artistic ability. The most important thing in manga is the art; that is what grabs the reader’s attention and persuades them to buy your work. That’s exactly why I throw out the standard of ‘good art’ or ‘bad art’ and instead look for art that is gripping, or art from which you can feel passion and energy. In the future, I would like to see even more of that energy in your SMA works.

Co-Creator: Fist of the North Star, etc.

Ryuji TSUGIHARA

I was truly overjoyed to receive so many submissions from so many diverse creators! This round, while I fully enjoyed reading your works, I couldn’t help but feel that many creators had not made full use of the theme. The letter was not central to many of the works, and at times even felt auxiliary. I hope that, in the next round, you will consider the theme deeply and make it the focus of your work.

Creator: Yoroshiku Mecha-Doc, etc.

Jun TOMIZAWA

This round, I was delighted to encounter works with fun and effective twists. The unexpected ways in which these stories developed thoroughly amused me. We also received many works about war. While this is not a bad thing, many of the works we received presented soldiers in a uncomplicatedly positive or sentimental light. However, soldiers are both victims and perpetrators in war, so I found these representations to be a bit one-sided. If you make a work about war in the future, I would urge you to think more deeply and realistically about the consequences of war.

Creator: Koroshi-ya Menkichi (Menkichi the Avenger), etc.

Nobuhiko HORIE

I found many of the stories engaging, and, overall, I thought the artwork was very polished, especially amongst the final candidates and nominees. I have just two points of advice for you. Firstly, don’t focus too much on creating ‘beautiful’ drawings. We’ve become so inundated with drawings that are simply beautiful, and nothing else, that now they feel bland and uninspiring. We, the judges, would rather see what makes your drawings unique. Incorporating your specific style can give your works a unique flavor and make them stand out. Secondly, many entrants had difficulty transitioning from scene to scene. I believe this may be why many stories needed two or three read-throughs to understand. If you simply add another panel or two to your transitions, it would improve the comprehensibility of your stories greatly. I can’t wait to see what you create next!

CEO, COAMIX Inc.
Author: Keiji’s Kabuki Adventure, etc.
(Former Chief Editor, Weekly Shonen Jump)

Monthly Comic ZENON Editorial Dept.

We very much enjoyed the works submitted this round. There were several works that contained exciting and unexpected twists, and many talented artists participated. We especially appreciated works in which we saw characters drawn with beautiful, animated expressions. Facial expressions are what will make your characters feel alive, so we urge you to continue practicing a variety of energetic and emotional expressions.

Publications: Record of Ragnarok, etc.