Kodansha Names Seven Grand Prize Winners in Global Mangaka Discovery Contest
Winning works will appear on K manga and Comic Days beginning in December.
Kodansha’s Mangaka Discovery award selected seven Grand Prize entries and 21 Encouragement Prize titles. All winners will receive editorial support.
Japanese publisher Kodansha revealed the winners of its worldwide Mangaka Discovery manga award on Friday. The contest ran as part of the Kodansha Manga Academy.
The seven Grand Prize winners are:
- Weekly Shōnen Magazine: “Saint & Rocky” by Isaacell (United Kingdom)
- Monthly Shonen Magazine: “GOOSI AND THE LIST” by the goose man (country undisclosed)
- Sirius Magazine: “Penitent Crown” by Ichi (Uruguay)
- Women’s Comics: “A Heart of Lead” by goroweko (country undisclosed)
- Young Magazine: “FLY” by Heitor Amatsu (Brazil)
- Morning Magazine: “MOVIEAFTERLIFE” by 8OttoVan (Italy)
- Afternoon Magazine: “Pitcher in the trench” by Susumu Romu (Italy)
Each Grand Prize winner will work with a Kodansha editor toward their debut. Their works will begin appearing on K manga and Comic Days in December.
Each also receives:
- 300,000 yen (about US$1,893)
- A two-year Clip Studio EX plan
- An invitation to the awards ceremony in Tokyo in February 2027
Another 21 titles received the Encouragement Prize. Kodansha will assign an editor to each of those winners, too.
The worldwide contest accepted entries in English or Japanese from April 20 to July 22.
Kodansha launched its Manga Academy in October 2025 to help creators worldwide learn how to publish manga in Japan.
The company also announced the winners of its 50th annual Manga Awards on May 11.
Sources: Press release via ANN
