Eighth International Manga Award competition announced, win a trip to Japan

By John Freeman on April 10, 2014

The entry period for the worldwide Eighth International Manga Award organised by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has begun. The winner will earn a trip to Japan to meet Japanese Manga creators if they win.

The International Manga Award was established in May 2007 upon the initiative of then-Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr. Taro Aso with the aim of awarding Manga creators who contribute to the spread of Manga culture overseas and international cultural exchange through Manga. The award has been held every year since its establishment.

The Award’s entry acceptance schedule is as follows:

(1) The application period: From Tuesday 15th April to Saturday, 31st May 2014.

(2) The application should be sent to any of Japan’s diplomatic missions abroad (a Embassy of Japan or conciliate) or the post office box of the Eighth International Manga Award. Entries must be accompanied by the application form which you can find on the award web site.

The best Manga from among all of the submitted works will be awarded the Gold Award. The next three best Manga will receive the Silver Award.

Recipients will be invited to Japan by the Japan Foundation to attend the award ceremony. During the stay in Japan, they will also exchange opinions with Japanese Manga creators, make an excursion and visit publishing companies and other places.

• More info: www.manga-award.jp and here on the Japanese Foreign Ministry web site

• Read about the presentation ceremony for last year’s awards here

• International Manga Award Guidelines here (PDF)

• International Manga Award Application Form (PDF)

• The Manga Award address is: P.O.Box MBE310, The Eighth International MANGA Award Executive Committee,１F MOF Kandaiwamoto-cho bldg, 3-8-16 Iwamoto-cho Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Japan 101-0032

• UK address: Embassy of Japan, 101-104 Piccadilly, London W1J 7JT

About the Author
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John Freeman

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.