Japan’s Kadokawa Corporation has just announced the winning works of its global manga competition, the Wordless World Manga Contest.
This was the very first edition of the contest, and it received an overwhelming response from around the globe – a total of 1126 entries from creators across 104 countries and regions.
“We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who submitted their passionate and inspiring works,” the Tokyo-based publisher said, announcing the winners.
After careful judging, eight outstanding works were selected as winners. In the Original Manga Award, One Gold Prize, Two Silver Prizes, and Four Bronze Prizes were awarded. In the Themed Manga Award, One Bronze Prize was selected.
All of the winning works are now available via the Official Website for “Wordless World Manga Contest”. Take a moment to enjoy these gems of visual storytelling from across the world – tales that transcend the boundaries of language.
The schedule for the next manga contest has not been decided yet. Once it is confirmed, Kadokawa will announce it on the official website.
Kadokawa Corporation develops a wide range of entertainment including publishing, videos, games, Web services, education, merchandising, actual events, and business for inbound customers. By advancing digital transformation with their new employee working style Activity Based Working (ABW), the corporation implements a global media mix strategy, focusing on stable Intellectual Property (IP) creation and delivering it to the world in a variety of forms.
• Official Website for the Kadokawa Corporation “Wordless World Manga Contest” | English | Japanese
The Award-Winning Works – Wordless World Manga Contest
Original Manga Award: Gold Prize: “My Hope In Bloom” by cocosm / Canada
“We feel so fortunate to have been able to participate in this contest alongside so many talented creators,” say the winners. “Working on our entry was such a joyful experience for us and we are beyond honoured to receive this award. The Kadokawa Wordless World Manga Contest allowed us to truly challenge ourselves and we are so grateful to have been a part of it.
“We’re an artist-writer duo who grew up reading manga and we’ve been drawn to it ever since. Our connection was built on a love for storytelling and art, and nothing fulfills us more than creating together. We’re excited to continue learning as we explore our next story.
“Thank you so much for reading ‘My Hope In Bloom’.”
Silver Prize: “Heartsteel” by masterlynx / India
“I am truly honoured to receive the Silver Prize for my work Heartsteel,” says masterlynx.
“I discovered the contest in February and began working on it the very next day. It was a challenging but rewarding experience!! I poured my heart into every page. The first few days were intense, and though I struggled in the beginning, I found great joy especially in creating the action scenes.
“I genuinely didn’t expect to win, so receiving the email was both overwhelming and unforgettable. I deeply admire the judges and their work, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have my manga read and recognised by them.
“This award means a great deal to me, and I look forward to continuing to grow as an artist and storyteller.”
Silver Prize: “Dungeon Duo” by REKU / United States
“I would like to thank Kadokawa for having this contest and other manga publishers for contests like it,” says REKU. “They provide so much potential for artists all over the world to participate in an industry they cherish. I for one, cherish manga dearly and cannot begin to express how much this award means to me.
“I was initially worried about the length of my entry because I unfortunately only discovered the contest three weeks before the deadline, which forced me to cut some ideas that I’d hoped to include. But sometimes creativity thrives under pressure and ultimately, I am very proud of this work.
“I hope to do more with Kadokawa and thank them for this opportunity!”
Bronze Prize: “Mother” by Lizard B.Rain / Taiwan
“‘Mother’ is the story of a big, jellyfish-like machine and how it was affected by a gruesome tragedy,” says Lizard B.Rain. “I came up with this short story a few years ago when I had neither the writing ability nor the drawing skills to tell it well. The Wordless World Manga Contest offered the perfect opportunity to brush off the dust from this idea and give it another go.
“It was a fun challenge trying to convey the emotions of something that cannot emote as a human can, and the restriction on exposition and dialogue really suited the tone of the story.
“In these deathly quiet halls, actions of the past and present echo endlessly on.
“I am grateful that ‘Mother’was picked as a winner in this contest, and I hope it brings some enjoyment to whoever chances upon it.”
Bronze Prize: “Pierrot inside me” by Marika Mangaka DZ / Algeria
“This is something I created a while ago, when manga was my main focus,” says winner Marika Mangaka DZ. “At its centre is a joyful, colourful presence – but beneath the smile is Pierrot, the sorrowful reflection in the mirror. Sometimes, those who offer joy are the ones who quietly lack it most.
“Revisiting it, I found that some moments still lingered—like petals drifting from where he had left his heart, as if waiting for him to return. Looking at this piece again felt much the same; I didn’t enter with expectations, just a wish to bring it back into the light. I wasn’t sure how it would be received, but I’m grateful it was recognised. Thank you for giving it a quiet place to return to.”
Bronze Prize: “Hear No Evil” by Sodafungi / Indonesia
“To begin with, I would like to thank Kadokawa for organising this competition and I am honoured to have received this award,” says Sodafungi.
“What had initially stemmed from curiosity and fun turned into a three-month race against time, with many sleepless nights and hectic working days. Nonetheless, I hope readers would enjoy reading “Hear no Evil” as much as I did enjoy producing it.
“Finally, I would like to thank my friends and colleagues for their unwavering support, as well as my five-year-old ipad for withstanding this arduous project.
“I await with ultimate excitement the outcome and growth my art journey promises, and I look forward to collaborating with Kadokawa in the future!”
Bronze Prize: “No Rain, No Rainbow” (Original title: 雨の日も好きになるように) by Shizu (静) / Taiwan
“I’m so happy that my work has been recognised!” says Shizu (静), their feedback translated by the contest office.
“I put a lot of care into drawing the rain scenes, aiming to create visuals that would let the characters laugh and dance even in the rain.
“Rain often makes us feel down or irritated, but if, in those moments, someone happens to recall a rainy scene from this manga and it helps ease their mood even just a little, that would mean the world to me.”
Themed Manga Award
No entries were selected for the Gold or Silver Prizes in the Themed Manga Award.
Bronze Prize: “The Don’s Final Quest” by Mari Kosaki
“In the early stages of brainstorming this manga, I wasn’t sure what it might express,” notes creator Mari Kosaki, “but it slowly took shape: two lives, generations apart, connecting through a tale they both loved. Unintentionally, they created a version of it together—a journey they had always longed for. I wanted to explore how stories connect people beyond words, across time, age, and distance.
“After years of collaborative work across different art mediums, this was a quiet return to solo manga creation. It reminded me how demanding it is to handle everything alone, though looking back, it makes me smile. I’m truly grateful for this recognition – for noticing this piece, and what its silence holds.”
Winners above are listed in order of submissions for ties.
On the official website, you can also find comments from supporters and editorial teams for each award-winning work. In addition, Kadokawa have listed the titles of the finalist works that narrowly missed receiving an award.
• Official Website for “Wordless World Manga Contest” | English | Japanese
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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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