The deadline for this year’s Manga Jiman competition, the Embassy of Japan‘s search for UK manga creating talent, is next month, with “technology” as its theme for 2020.
Technology has been playing an ever greater role in our lives, and now more than ever we are relying on technology to keep in touch with our loved ones, conduct our work and live out our daily lives.
How the theme is interpreted is down to the entrant, but it must be a written or visual reference, and entrants are asked to state how your work references the theme on your entry form.
Manga Jiman exists to promote manga creating talent in the UK and a wide variety of styles are encouraged. Over the years the challenge has seen winners from across the comics spectrum take the top prize.
The competition has two categories; Yonkoma Manga, a comic strip of four panels on one page with a fixed structure, for entrants aged between 11 and 13 and Manga Jiman, a short story told across six to eight pages for anyone aged 14 or over.
Previous winners – Katja Hammond, Shangomola Edunjobi and last year’s winner, Caversham-based Tori Ella Jones, have provided some videos to mark the launch of the competition, offering tips to would-be entrants. These are all available on the Embassy of Japan YouTube channel.
Winners of the competition will receive fantastic prizes, and it is the organiser’s plan to host an exhibition of the winning entries at the Embassy of Japan in 2021, if it is safe to do so.
The deadline is 16th November 2020.
• You can see a selection of winners from previous years on the Manga Jiman Webtoons page here
• Story x Story: Behind the Story with Tori Jones (Podcast)
John Freeman
The founder of downthetubes, John works as a comics editor, writer, as Creative Consultant on the Dan Dare audio adventures for B7 Media, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. Working in British comics publishing for over 30 years, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Star Trek Magazine and Babylon 5 Magazine. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War and “Dan Dare”. He’s the writer of “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz, published on Tapastic; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood for digital comic 100% Biodegradable.
Categories: Comics Competitions, downthetubes Comics News, downthetubes News
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