“This time round, I felt that many of the entries presented the fresh kind of approach you’d expect to see from a new creator. Having strong illustration skills is great but, what we’re really looking for, are young people with a talent for engaging the readers and make them enjoy reading manga. With that point in mind, I was very happy to see there were many creators this time who, though still in process of learning their art, were able to display great potential. ”

“I’m constantly impressed by how much the overall quality of the submissions is improving with each passing contest. If I was to give one piece of advice however, it would be to not overly rely on large panel use. When presenting an important scene, drawing the panels in a large size isn’t the only way the make the panel feel big. Learning how to convey scenes by using an effective balance of larger and smaller frames will prove useful, and should also give the work a real boost in terms of quality.”

“In comparison to Japan’s own newcomer award entries, I find it deeply interesting how the SMA creators have infused their unique individuality into their works. I also really admire the level of art on display this time round. As for the storylines, I feel there is still room for improvement so I’m very much looking forward to seeing what they come up with when tackling the next theme.”

“Even if the artwork isn’t exceptional, there were many entries where I could really feel the passion that went into the creators manga. I think they have done incredibly well to create their works given the low page count restriction. From the next round, the page count restriction will be relaxed somewhat, allowing the creators to have a little more breathing space to tell their stories and further express their artistic talents. I’m very much looking forward to seeing what they come up with in the future. ”