If you're a manga creator and want your work to be recognized globally, the 19th Japan International MANGA Award is officially on and could be the perfect moment to take part. This event gives creators from outside Japan the chance to showcase their best work on an international stage.
About Japan International MANGA Award
The Japan International MANGA Award is an annual award organized by the Japanese government as part of its diplomacy. pop culture. The aim is to expand the spread of manga culture and strengthen cross-border cultural exchanges. The award is open to non-Japanese creators, whether as illustrators, writers, or collaborative teams.
In the selection process, the Japan Foundation and the Japan Cartoonists Association are involved as part of the jury. Works from various countries will be curated by a panel of professionals from the Japanese manga industry.
Award Category and Form of Appreciation
The Japan International MANGA Award provides several award categories with the following forms of appreciation:
- Gold Award: The best one will receive a trophy, certificate, and an invitation to Japan for seven days to attend the award ceremony.
- Silver Award: The top three entries will receive trophies, certificates, and invitations to Japan.
- Bronze Award: About eleven works will be awarded certificates of appreciation.
- Special Encouragement Award: For works that stand out but are not in the main category.
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place in Tokyo in February or March 2026.
General Requirements and Deadline
In order to be submitted to the 19th Japan International MANGA Award, works must meet the following requirements:
- It is an original work, has never won this award, and does not violate copyright.
- Created between 2022 to 2025.
- Has more than 16 pages.
- It should not be dominated by AI, either in terms of story or visuals.
- One participant may only submit one work.
- Works must be in PDF format and can be printed on A4 size paper. For webtoon format works, the frame arrangement must be adjusted to be readable in printed form.
Registration is open until June 30, 2025 at 23:59 JST and is conducted online. The registration form can be accessed through official form of the 19th Japan International MANGA Award.
For those of you who are interested in participating or just want to understand more about the technicalities and conditions, complete information is available at official website of Japan International MANGA Award or the Indonesian version at website of the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia.
For further inquiries, you can contact the Culture Section of the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia via email at koubun@dj.mofa.go.jp or call to 021-3192-4309. All registration processes are done online, and works will not be returned, so make sure you keep the original copy.
The 19th Japan International MANGA Award is not only a contest, but also a form of recognition for creators from around the world who contribute to spreading manga as a global medium.
Source: official website of Japan International MANGA Award, website of the Embassy of Japan in Indonesia
