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What it Takes to Win the TATESC Comics Global Awards New Manga Contest
by TATESC (Paid Advertisement),
With the 1st TATESC Comics Global Awards new manga contest, aspiring manga creators from across the world have a chance to have their comics reviewed by a vast number of Kadokawa editors—with the best submissions getting not only a cash prize but a publishing deal as well.
Of course, before submitting your own vertically scrolling comic, it's helpful to check out the competition and see what you're up against. While this is the first global version of the contest, two other TATESC Comics Awards competitions were held in Japan previously. So, let's check out the winners of the last contest to see what kinds of comics the judges are looking for.
Grand Prize
Tsuihai Tensei Bazutta bun dake Level Up
(Lit. “Twitter Addict Reincarnation: When It Buzzes, I Level Up!”)
By: Yō Manabe
Category: Male-Targeted Isekai Fantasy
Synopsis:
Twitter Addict Kishi Kuroya's wish to die and be reborn in another world comes true! He's given a smartphone by a goddess along with a special ability... to level up the more SNS interactions he gets! This is the tale of the greatest adventure in another world—saving the world with the power of numbers!
Judge's Comments:
Mixing a Twitter addict with being reincarnated in another world makes for a novel combination. The story was well-paced and an exciting read. It also utilized the vertical scrolling format well and it feels like the author had studied other popular vertical scrolling comics.
Click Here to Read (Japanese)
Gold Medal
Tatari, Tatarare
By: Makoto Inagaki
Category: Slice-of-Life/Drama/BL
Synopsis:
Ema Tojo is a woman beset by constant misfortunes. Now, she's lost her job and even her phone is broken. When she looks into the broken screen, she is pulled into it—into a world inhabited by yokai. And according to the yokai that rescues her, Ema seems to be possessed by a “tatari”—a curse spirit...
Judge's Comments:
From the amount of detail in each scene, it was easy to understand what each character felt from the pictures alone. Moreover, the layout was always conscious of the vertical scrolling format. That said, I think that the appeal of this work could be increased if the author had a bit more awareness of the type of readers that would read this kind of story.
Click Here to Read (Japanese)
Silver Medal
Watashi ga Ōhi Kōho ni Erabarete Shimatta" by
(Lit. “I've Been Selected as a Queen Candidate!”
By: Maha Tsubokura
Category: Female-Targeted Isekai Fantasy
Synopsis:
One day, a messenger from the royal court appeared to Lupinus, a young woman living in the Kingdom of Rafreshia. From that day on, the destiny of this girl who had been living a carefree life in a tranquil land began to change.
Judge's Comments:
In addition to the story's speedily unfolding drama, the comic's layout was gorgeous. I never felt the need to stop scrolling. On the other hand, I feel that the art is a bit lacking. Improving that will raise the overall quality of the work to the next level.
Click Here to Read (Japanese)
Runner Up
K.I.R.I.N
By: Bai Wan Ren
Category: Battle/Action/Suspense
Synopsis:
Kang Linmu, who works for a game company, clashes with his boss at a planning meeting—only for his boss to be killed when a monster Kang designed becomes a reality! Meanwhile, an infectious disease called "Midorihana" is spreading in Tokyo, and for some reason, Kang is being hunted as the source of infection S.
Judge's Comments:
The speedy story development draws you in right from the beginning. The large picture layouts are very dynamic, with an awareness of the vertical scrolling nature of the work. The monsters are both creepy and frightening, while the beautiful coloring job gives the whole thing a novel feeling. The hooks to make you want to read the rest of the story are also very well done.
Click Here to Read (Japanese)
Runner Up
Moonlight Project ~Ano Toki no Kanojo o Torimodosu~
(Lit: “Moonlight Project ~Bring Her Back to That Time~”)
By: Causticscoda
Category: Slice-of-Life/Drama/BL
Synopsis:
Rikan, a corporate employee in the IT industry who was suddenly fired from her job, asks for help from her childhood friend Shion, a popular novelist, to pay off her family's debt. Twisted by painful experiences, will they be able to bring "her" back like the old "Moonlight"?
Judge's Comments:
The unique art style makes a favorable impression. And the unobtrusive monologue conveys the characters' feelings in a wistful fashion. However, some of the lettering is small and difficult to read, so it would be good to keep the readers in mind when adding in the text going forward.
Click Here to Read (Japanese)
Runner Up
Schrödinger to Sakana
(Lit: Schrödinger and the Fish)
By: Kai Ming
Category: Slice-of-Life/Drama/BL
Synopsis:
Yu Xiaoyu, who has lost his job and home, and Schrödinger, a stray cat, become housemates at the home of the Xia Siblings on the condition that he works as a live in tutor. With a cute but cheeky younger sister (as his student) and a handsome veterinarian brother, this is the strange yet fun life of three people plus a cat living together!
Judge's Comments:
The coloring is a nice touch. It is lovely and fits the work. The movement of the cat makes good use of the vertically scrolling screen and it's great how it guides your line of sight. The character design is very attractive. The challenge of expression typical in vertical scrolling colored manga is evident throughout—and the way this author rises to meet it is ambitious and commendable.
Click Here to Read (Japanese)
So that was all of last year's winners. Think you can do better? Submit your vertical scrolling comic to prove it! For a completely list of rules, conditions, and deadlines, check out the official contest page here.
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