The19th Japan International Manga Award is now open to comic creators across the world, with a trip to Japan on the cards for the Gold Award and Silver Award winners.
This award honours Manga artists who contribute to the development of Manga culture in the world. Entries must be submitted by 30th June 2025.
Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs founded the International Manga Award in 2007, for the purpose of expanding international exchange and mutual understanding through the Manga culture which is widely accepted around the world.
The Japan International Manga Award will present the Gold Award to the best Manga work, the Silver Award to three excellent works, and the Bronze Award to approximately eleven other works. Gold and silver Award winners will receive certificates and trophies, and Bronze Award winners will receive certificates.
Gold Award and Silver Award winners will also be invited to Japan for approximately seven days for the award ceremony as an additional prize. The award ceremony is planned to be held in Tokyo in February or March 2026.
Last year’s Gold Winner was Hiro Kawahara, from Brazil, for A Sereia da Floresta (“The Forest Mermaid”). The Silver Winners were Thai artist Preecha Jai-ordthon, for Rise Polly; 左萱 (Zuo Hsuan), from Taiwan, for The Banana Sprout Volume 2; and Brandon Arias, from Chile, for Scars.
To be eligible for the Japan International Manga Awards, the submitted work must consist of more than 16 pages. Both published and unpublished works are accepted, except for those that have previously won the award.
• Full rules for the 19th Japan International MANGA Award here | UK residents can send their entries through the Embassy of Japan in London – do read the full guidance | Entries must be submitted by 30th June 2025
Manga Jiman: The Winners’ Exhibition runs until Friday 16th May 2025 at the Embassy of Japan in the UK, 101-104 Piccadilly London W1J 7JT.
Visitors to the Embassy can enjoy reading all the shortlisted entries in a special display, which features artwork from every story entered this year by Alex Stefanis, Anait Melkonyan, Andy Sparrow, Claire Mead, Emmanuel Nnanna, Gemma Myerscough, Hayley Jennings, Keith Jenkins, Lucia Fioretti, Neal Rimmer, Nyah Angol-Barcelos and Riyad Meddour.
• Embassy of Japan in the UK: uk.emb-japan.go.jp/itprtop_en/index.html
Do note, submitted works to the 19th Japan International MANGA Award will not be returned to applicants. Therefore, if the work has not yet been published, it is advisable to submit duplicate copies of the work and keep the original
• The UK Manga Jiman: The Winners’ Exhibition at the Embassy is open weekdays 10.00 – 17.30, closed weekends and 18th, 21st April | Advance tickets available here. Walk-ins are welcome. Admission is free, but showing photographic ID is necessary to gain entry to the Embassy
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John is the founder of downthetubes, launched in 1998. He is a comics and magazine editor, writer, and Press Officer for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He also runs Crucible Comic Press.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine and Overkill for Marvel UK, Babylon 5 Magazine, Star Trek Magazine, and its successor, Star Trek Explorer, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics; and has edited several comic collections and graphic novels, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”, and Hancock: The Lad Himself, by Stephen Walsh and Keith Page.
He’s the writer of comics such as Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs”, with Dave Hailwood.
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