Words from the Chairman SMA6:
Shuichi “Mocchi” Mochida,
Coamix Corp. Board of Directors
Chairman, The SILENT MANGA AUDITION Committee.
Chief Editor, SMAC! The WEB/MANGA Magazine.
Please let me begin, by saying how grateful we are, for another collection of amazing manga from around the world. 531 entries from 62 countries, a staggering number especially considering how well presented each entry is. We have just had our 102nd entry in the list of participating countries. It still amazes me how much we have grown since we started.
The reason for this growth became very clear to me once I started reading the entries. We read every single entry one by one, and everyone here is blown away by the level of the artwork presented to us. There are some newcomers showing us amazing works, as well as many regular participants showing strong improvements in every round. Overall, all the entries showed us how much potential there is in the Silent Manga Audition Community – SMAC! for short.
It is becoming harder in every round to select the award recipients. There are many who have not yet won an award, but are so close to winning one. It is our common understanding that any one of the award nominees could have won the Grand-prix with just little push to make it even more engaging to read.
We feel the hard work you creators send us pushed the SILENT MANGA AUDITION® to another level. We couldn’t be more delighted and thankful to every one of you.
“By just keeping on drawing, your creative skills improve so much”. We have long said this in Japan and now many participants have demonstrated to us this is indeed what’s happening with thousands of creators from around the world. In Japan, Manga became so widely accepted, to the level they are now deeply integrated with the lives of most Japanese people. With the combined excellence of the creators gathered here on SMAC!, I have little doubt comics will be much more widely accepted and enjoyed, in your part of the world too.
Considering the fact the competition was very close, we felt choosing just one entry above all others was inappropriate for the purpose of this event. That is why we have no Grand-Prix award recipient for SMA6. Any one of them here has the potential to win the Grand-Prix – but not just yet.
“Creating Silent Manga” is the best way to improve your comic creation skills. We sincerely hope every one of you keeps on challenging yourself, and showing it to SMAC! – The community of you and I – creators, editors and the readers.
Lastly, please send any requests and suggestions about how we can improve the event. You the participants already formed much of what we do today in SMA. We hope you will continue to enjoy that with us – drawing the future of manga for the world to fall in love with.
Yoroshiku Onegai Itashimasu.
Silent Manga in Motion “FORBIDDEN by YOS”
HARA’S COMMENT:
“I’ve chosen HIBAKUSHA for my Judge’s award recipient. Excellence of graphical execution here is simply staggering. Dynamic perspectives and intense drawing in characters as well as the backgrounds. I praise their PASSION to complete this intense piece. It’s a little pity the story doesn’t do the drawing justice. If the creators learned to weave stories while animating the characters, they will be truly remarkable. Good work, kenkyostudio. Hope to see more from you.”
HOJO’S COMMENT:
“I personally really enjoyed “Hero Box”. It combines two contrasting perspectives – “Child’s view” and “Grown-up’s view” to great emotional effect. The rhythm here is well executed – the story gradually builds momentum, then towards the end it cuts straight into the moment of wonder, which made me grin with joy. It is one of the simplest and the most effective techniques of manga story telling executed brilliantly. Thank you REDJET.”
TSUGIHARA’S COMMENT:
“The Tooth Knight started with a very interesting point of view on how we saw dentists when we were young. Then the creator, Nattorin, didn’t stop there, giving an interesting change of perspectives to great entertaining effect throughout the story. I saw much intent by the creator to tell an amusing story; a sign of great manga creator to come. Thank you for a wonderful work, Nattorin!”
HORIE’S COMMENT:
“”Marrige of two childhood friends” was a popular story in SMA6. I guess many of us resonates with the tale of a happy, young couple – a very good starting point for manga story creation. I especially enjoyed “Mask” by ombobon. The story itself is very simple, but it’s the way in how it was unveiled as set of actions throughout the story. It left me with a gentle smile and warm feeling, just as any good manga makes me feel after reading it. Great job Ombobon.”
Tsukasa Hojo on SMA6:
Tsukasa Hojo:
Coamix Corp. Board of Directors
Creator: Angel Heart
Angel Heart 2nd Season ( Coamix )
Creator: CITYHUNTER ( Shueisha )
Creator: CAT’S EYE ( Shueisha )
“ARTWORK is on such high level it is purely amazing. Now I wish everyone to work more on weaving the short stories as “chain of changes in emotion”. Reading manga is like a journey – the beginning and ending are good in many entries, but if the “steps in between” were more engaging, the journey will be much more enjoyable. First, focus on the few important emotion igniting events. Then connect those with good rhythm throughout the story. Overall, good work everyone. We hope you keep on trying!”
ZENON+SMAC! Editorial team comment::
“We are amazed by how well the creator draws and that hyrohiku shows his love of action throughout the piece! However, it took us several readings to fully appreciate the story. Working on the paneling might make it even more engaging to read. We hope him joining the SMA MASTERCLASS will be a great oppotunity for that. Looking forward to working with him ;)”
HORIE’S COMMENT:
“I really liked “Morning Trouble”. A simple and charming tale that made me giggle with their charming actions throughout the event.”
HORIE’S COMMENT:
“The story really focuses on two protagonists: the boy and the tadpole. The tadpole shows a variety of reactions; some well exaggerated and very sympathetic, too. The characters here are very well established. A good read.”
ZENON+SMAC! Editorial team comment:
“A well told and charming tale with matching art style and fitting emotion triggering events, which really made us involved in the world. Overall, there is a very well composed atmosphere. Panelling and use of page turns was also good. It was one of the most fun page turner SMA6, as each page presented us with engaging events. We hope CHESS joining SMA MASTERCLASS will be another chapter in their adventure as manga story tellers.”
NEGISHI’S COMMENT:
“Didn’t I mark this one with the highest score? THAT grandma may possibly be the best animated character of SMA6. Why not try creating a story with just her?”
HORIE’S COMMENT:
“An interesting take on the topic of Childhood. A girl is to be protected – when the girl grows up, she will have her mature perspective to interact with the world. The art style is not only unique, but utilizes exaggerated perspective to great effect.”
Tetsuo Hara on SMA6:
Tetsuo Hara:
Coamix Corp. Board of Directors
Co-Creator: Ikusa no Ko: Oda Nobunaga ( Coamix )
Co-Creator: Fist of the Blue Sky ( Coamix )
Co-Creator: Fist of the North Star ( Shueisha )
“Some works had an amazing level of artwork. Not only in the quality, but drawing intensity, level of details, perspective, characters and backgrounds… Those could only be a result of much love, passion and devotion. We say how art is important, story is important… but the most important thing is that the creator has the passion to create what others say is impossible. I hope the creators continue challenging themselves in SMA, to aim for joining the SMA MASTERCLASS, where experienced manga editors will guide that passion to the right direction, where impossible becomes a reality.”
Ryuji Tsugihara on SMA6:
Ryuji Tsugihara:
Coamix Corp. Board of Directors
Creator: Commander-in-Chief Sakuraba Kouichirou ( Coamix )
Creator: Restore Garage 251: Kurumaya Yumejirou ( Coamix )
Creator: Yoroshiku Mecha-doc ( Shueisha )
“Because everyone now draws really well, I focused on the areas of “Sympathy”, an important part of creating Manga. Many works felt a little too “Dear diary…” to me. Maybe the theme had some effect on the creator. There is nothing wrong with creating from your own experiences but if you just draw them “just as it happened”, other people may not find it as sympathising as you do. Good manga instantly makes readers go “Oh I know how it feels!” in very few panels. Try to re-mix your own experiences, to make the reader feel “This is about me!”.”
Nobuhiko Horie on SMA6:
Nobuhiko Horie:
CEO, Coamix Corp.
Chief Editor of Monthly Comic ZENON ( Coamix )
Former Chief Editor of Weekly Shonen JUMP ( Shueisha )
“We saw many creators with amazing level of drawing excellence here. However, good manga is not always about “Reality”. Telling wondrous, “Unreal” stories in a feel-real, believable way is often the key to cast that magic on the readers. Manga artists are the only ones who can do this. Always first focus on CHARACTERS. No stories ever work if there aren’t charming, mesmerising actors to tell it to the readers. Exaggerate not only appearance, but actions and emotions. Imagine clearly, what message you want to tell the readers. Then discuss with the characters how best to make the readers “feel” that message. Looking forward to reading your next piece!”
![]() 1 | “Wanna be a Legend!!!” by | ![]() Brazil |
![]() 2 | “The ignorance is a blessing” by | ![]() Brazil |
![]() 3 | “Hard Shell” by | ![]() Ecuador |
![]() 4 | “When Mom Turns The Lights Off” by | ![]() Egypt |
![]() 5 | “Tik Tok” by | ![]() Indonesia |
![]() 6 | “What Was It?” by | ![]() Indonesia |
![]() 7 | “Piece of Paper” by | ![]() Indonesia |
![]() 8 | “Red Cracker Soup” by | ![]() Indonesia |
![]() 9 | “My World” by | ![]() Malaysia |
![]() 10 | “Supermarket” by | ![]() Philippines |
![]() 11 | “Paper Plane” by | ![]() Philippines |
![]() 12 | “Growing Inside” by | ![]() Philippines |
![]() 13 | “Toilet” by | ![]() Thailand |
![]() 14 | “Finding Gusto” by | ![]() Thailand |
![]() 15 | “The Turtle, Me And The Sea” by | ![]() Viet Nam |
Tadashi Negishi on SMA6:
“Overall so many good mangas here! We are now judging each entry on the same level as young creators in Japan. Quite incredible how everyone improved in those years since we started.
For everyone to reach that next step, I see the key is in the characters’ “eyes”. Manga’s joy is in seeing various emotions expressed in the most varied of facial expressions. Many of the “Actors(characters)” felt a bit rigid – like someone with stage fright.
Relax a little, and try to animate them in a way that makes readers giggle!
”
Tadashi Negishi:
Coamix Corp. Managing Director
Former Chief Editor of RAIJIN Comics ( Coamix )
Former Chief Editor of Monthly Shonen JUMP ( Shueisha )
HORIE’S COMMENT:
“FORBIDDEN was an enjoyable piece in how it tricked us into anticipating many things and coming to an all-out entertaining ending. Good work.”
TSUGIHARA’S COMMENT:
“This has the most orthodox form of story telling and is all for the better for it. It not only has an enjoyable ending, but good steps throughout leading to that climax.”
HOJO’S COMMENT:
“It is a well told story, but I felt it could be made even more impressive if the creator focused on making some key events more “in-your-face”. Try exaggerating and cutting out some panels where doing that would give better rhythm. Thank you YOS, for this entertaining piece.”
ZENON+SMAC! Editorial team comment:
“We are blessed with many great entries from Brazil again. This time YOS’s story took the top spot. We are happy that he is joining SMA MASTERCLASS and to meet him in Tokyo soon. Looking forward to working with him!”