Kodansha Announces Second International Manga Competition

Kodansha to host a second International Manga Competition

Our first full-scale international competition for manga, the "International Manga Competition," has received a phenomenal number of submissions from more than ten countries. We sincerely appreciate your enthusiasm and support.

It will take time to finalize our selections, since we received more submissions than expected, so we plan to announce the results in August on our "e-morning" website (http://www.e-morning.jp/mimc), and publish the grand prize winning work in "Morning 2" #6, slated for mid-October.

Due to the enormous number of submissions we have received, we've decided to host a second International Manga Competition.

The deadline for the second competition is December 31st 2007. For more information, visit our website http://e-morning.jp/mimc/. If you have any questions, email ceena directly at animecomics4u@ybb.ne.jp.

Competition guidelines:

Competition entries being accepted now!

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and publishing over 500,000 copies weekly, 'Morning' is the biggest and most prominent manga magazine for grown-ups in Japan. In the 25 years since the very first issue, the magazine has been host to such mega hits as ‘Vagabond,' 'Kami-no-shizuku,' 'The Silent Service,' 'Say hello to BLACK JACK,' and 'GON,' and has had continual and significant influence on Japanese society. Now, we are expanding our horizons and holding a competition across the globe, including the U.S., Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Korea, Thailand and China, in order to seek out and develop new talent.

Deadline - last acceptable postmark / backstamp on or before: 31st December 2007

Grand prize: US $5000, two second prizes of US $2000 each

As part of the grand prize, the winning manga will be featured in 'Morning', the most influential manga magazine for grown-ups in Japan, boasting a circulation of over 500,000 copies a week, or special issue 'Morning 2'. In addition, the most experienced manga editors of 'Morning' will be assigned to authors of the winning manga pieces, and assist in the development of their manga. There is also the possibility that the winning manga and more pieces of the winning author will be not only featured in 'Morning' or 'Morning 2', but could also well be published as independent comic books both in Japan and in other countries. (There is a possibility that no entry will be awarded the Grand Prize). Editors will also be assigned to the two second prize winners, and there is a possibility that these winning manga pieces will be published in 'Morning', 'Morning 2' or on 'e-morning', our companion website. Please refer carefully to the following terms. It will be deemed that you have agreed to all of them upon entry.

[1] Manga content Restricted to works of at least 12 pages and of not more than 50 pages, that have not been published in commercial magazines, nor as independent books, in any country.

[2] Rules of illustration Manga pieces on any type of paper, using any kind of drawing tools, will be accepted. Both color and black-and-white will be accepted (however, pieces accepted in color may be published in black and white in the 'Morning' magazine).

For reference, manga in Japan is normally drawn on B4 paper, in black ink, in a 270mm x 180 mm frame. It is possible to submit entries on CD-R or other digital storage media, but we request that printed copies to be included with such data-based entries.

Text should be in your native language, English or Japanese, and should be written clearly.

[3] Selection committee: Morning International Manga Competition Committee

[4] Method of Application
Send to:

Kodansha Morning M. I. M. C.
2-12-21
Otowa
Bunkyo-ku
Tokyo
112-8001
JAPAN

Please ensure that you include your name, address, age, occupation, telephone number, e-mail address and CV with your entry.Entries cannot be returned. We recommend that you keep a copy of your entry.

[5] Kodansha Ltd. will automatically obtain the exclusive right to publish all prize-winning manga pieces (whether for grand prize or secondary prizes) on magazines, and the exclusive option to exercise the right to publish and/or exploit the said manga pieces on independent books and on magazine websites and the exclusive option to all other secondary / subsidiary rights with respect to the said manga pieces. Kodansha Ltd. will determine whether or not exercise any of its foregoing right and/or options under its sole and absolute discretion.

[6] You must warrant that your entry (manga piece) is completely original under your own creation, all content therein are accurate and lawful, and do not contain material that is harmful, libelous or defamatory to, or material that may infringe the right of any person or entity in any nature. You will be obliged to indemnify any damage Kodansha Ltd. may suffer as a result of any inconsistency to the foregoing.

[7] Release of results: Results will be announced on the ‘Morning’ website (e-morning) around March 2008