SILENT MANGA AUDITION 2027 Illustration Contest is an international manga competition organized by Tokyo-based publisher COAMIX Inc. The current round, SMA25, is dedicated to manga without dialogue and challenges creators to communicate story, character and emotion entirely through visual storytelling.
The SMA25 theme is “A Kind Heart,” inspired by the Japanese concept of omoiyari: consideration, thoughtfulness and kindness toward others. Entrants are invited to create a 5-17 page silent manga built around this idea, from small everyday acts of kindness to broader expressions of empathy and selflessness.
Entries are assessed for emotional expression, originality and composition, with particular emphasis on clear character emotions and an easy-to-follow story. The audition also connects promising international manga creators with COAMIX’s editorial development opportunities and provides professional editorial feedback on submitted works.
Entry fee: No entry fee is stated in the accessible current SMA25 official materials; free-entry status could not be conclusively verified.
Eligibility
Open to manga creators worldwide, including individuals, partners and groups, submitting an original 5–17 page silent manga based on “A Kind Heart”; multiple entries are allowed, while plagiarism, copyrighted imagery, preset photos or drawings of people or backgrounds, AI-generated drawings, dialogue, nudity, explicit violence and offensive material are prohibited.
Prize
The Grand Prix carries ¥500,000 plus an offer to join the SMA MasterClass with editorial support and introduction to the Artists Village Aso 096k project; the Grand Prix Runner-Up receives ¥300,000 with the same opportunities. The Excellence Award is ¥100,000, with works at this level and above published on Zenon Plus, while Excellence Award Runner-Up recipients receive ¥30,000 and works at this level and above are featured in Monthly Comic ZENON. Honorable Mentions receive ¥10,000. Every entry receives professional editorial feedback, and entrants who complete the specified survey can receive a three-month Clip Studio Paint EX activation code, limited to one such trial per entrant.