Next ILLUST Award 2026 is an international illustration competition organised by Japanese publisher PIE International, the editorial team of S magazine and Shanghai-based COMICUP. The award focuses on ILLUST, a style of Japanese illustration influenced by manga, anime and video games. Artists can explore any subject, with no set theme or prescribed artistic style. The 2025 edition received 1,280 submissions from approximately 31 countries and regions.
The competition accepts both traditional and digital illustrations, with no restrictions on artistic materials or techniques. Each participant may submit up to two original works. The recommended artwork size is approximately A4 (210 × 297 mm) or F3 (273 × 220 mm), with a resolution of at least 300 dpi. All submissions must be made online, and artists retain the copyright to their work.
Entry procedures depend on the participant's location. Artists in Japan submit through the S and SS magazine website, those in China use COMICUP, and participants elsewhere enter through PIE International's dedicated Discord server. The judging panel includes illustrators Range Murata, Mai Yoneyama, sakusya2 and Zeen Chin, alongside representatives from the publishing industry, Kinokuniya and COMICUP. The winning entries will be announced in S magazine, Volume 97, scheduled for release in Japan on 17 March 2027.
Entry fee: The official 2026 rules do not specify an entry fee. Free entry has been reported by independent competition listings but has not been explicitly confirmed by the organisers.
Eligibility
Open to artists worldwide, regardless of age, nationality or profession, submitting up to two original illustrations featuring independently created characters; fan art, traced or rights-infringing works, and artwork containing wholly or partly AI-generated images or text are not accepted.
Prize
The Gold Award (one winner) includes JPY 100,000, a three-year CLIP STUDIO PAINT PRO subscription for two devices, a HUION Kamvas Pad 12 and a book published by PIE International. Two Silver Award winners each receive JPY 50,000, a two-year CLIP STUDIO PAINT PRO subscription for two devices, a HUION Kamvas 13 (Gen 3) and a book. Four Bronze Award winners each receive a one-year CLIP STUDIO PAINT PRO subscription for one device, a HUION Inspiroy Frego M and a book. Nine Judges' Award winners each receive a PIE International book. Winners residing in mainland China receive 優動漫PAINT instead of CLIP STUDIO PAINT PRO. The leading entries will be announced in S magazine, Volume 97, scheduled for publication in Japan on 17 March 2027.