Organizer Information

The SILENT MANGA AUDITION® (SMA) is organized by COAMIX Inc., a Tokyo-based manga publisher founded in 2000 by manga industry figures Nobuhiko Horie (former editor-in-chief of Weekly Shōnen Jump and current COAMIX CEO), together with mangaka Tsukasa Hojo (City Hunter), Tetsuo Hara (Fist of the North Star), and Ryuji Tsugihara (Yoroshiku Mecha-Doc) — all of whom also serve as SMA judges. COAMIX publishes the manga magazine Monthly Comic ZENON, home to internationally recognized titles such as Record of Ragnarok, Unsung Cinderella, Arte, and Wakako-zake. Beyond publishing, COAMIX runs international manga camps and festivals, offers manga lessons to creators in Japan and abroad, and operates the Artists Village Aso 096k residency program for creators working toward a professional manga debut.

Title & Description

SMA25 — "A Kind Heart" (Silent Manga Audition®)

The SILENT MANGA AUDITION® is described in the source as the world's biggest manga audition, open exclusively to manga created without dialogue. By removing the language barrier, the audition is intended to give international creators the same opportunity as Japanese creators to break into the manga industry. For this round (SMA25), participants are asked to create a 5–17 page silent manga built around the theme "A Kind Heart," conveying character emotion and storytelling entirely through images.

Theme

"A Kind Heart" — the theme is built around the Japanese concept of omoiyari, meaning consideration, thoughtfulness, and kindness toward others, often involving an element of self-sacrifice. Entrants are encouraged to portray characters who consider others' needs and emotions and act with selflessness, at any scale — from grand gestures to small, everyday acts of kindness (the source's own examples: carrying an elderly woman's shopping bags, or giving up a train seat for a young child).

Categories

Eligibility

  • Open to international creators; the source states the goal is to give creators around the world the same opportunity as Japanese creators
  • No dialogue may be used — the story must be told through images (and permitted onomatopoeia/SFX) alone
  • Entries must be 5–17 pages
  • Multiple entries are welcome
  • Entries from partners or groups (team creations) are welcome
  • Not specified in the source regarding age restrictions

Program Benefits & Awards

  • Grand Prix: ¥500,000, an offer to enter the MasterClass with editorial support, and an introduction to the Artists Village Aso 096k Project
  • Grand Prix Runner-Up: ¥300,000, an offer to enter the MasterClass with editorial support, and an introduction to the Artists Village Aso 096k Project
  • Excellence Award: ¥100,000; Excellence Award and above are published on "Zenon Plus"
  • Excellence Award Runner-Up: ¥30,000; Excellence Award Runner-Ups and above are featured in Monthly Comic ZENON
  • Honorable Mention: ¥10,000
  • All entries receive professional editorial feedback on strengths and areas to improve
  • Entrants who complete a survey after joining receive a three-month free trial activation code for Clip Studio Paint EX (limited to one code per person)

Application Fee

None

How to Apply?

Online Application

Key Dates

  • Submission Period: November 15, 2026 – January 15, 2027
  • Judging Period: January 16, 2027 – March 31, 2027
  • Results: 30 April 2027

Location

Tokyo, Japan

Additional Details

  • File requirements: JPG or PNG only, 2MB or under per file, pages numbered sequentially (e.g., page_01, page_02), compressed into a single zip file for submission
  • Not allowed: dialogue, plagiarism, nudity, explicit violence or offensive material, copyrighted pictures, preset photos or drawings of people/backgrounds, AI-generated drawings, and using emojis in speech bubbles as a substitute for text
  • Allowed: onomatopoeia/SFX in any language, text within signage (e.g., traffic signs, book titles), legally obtained copyright-free or commercial-use-approved 3D models/assets, and an optional (non-mandatory) title page
  • If a submission has errors (e.g., wrong page count, file name, or file type), the entrant receives an automatic email and is asked to resubmit; content issues (dialogue, graphic content, etc.) are handled by the SMA team reaching out via email
  • Judging criteria: Emotions (clarity of character emotion), Originality (of story and setting), and Composition (clear, enjoyable paneling that conveys the theme)
  • SILENT MANGA AUDITION® is a registered trademark of COAMIX Inc. in the EU and related jurisdictions

Website Link: https://www.manga-audition.com/sma25-a-kind-heart/