The KADOKAWA publishing house is opening the doors to the Japanese manga market: a new funding program is intended to network international artists directly with editors and support them on their way to their manga debut.
Looking for international mangaka
The number of international artists publishing their own works inspired by manga and anime is constantly growing. However, many have so far lacked suitable opportunities to present their work to Japanese publishers or receive feedback.
This is where the new project “KADOKAWA WORLD MANGA ATELIER” comes in, with which KADOKAWA is apparently pursuing even more far-reaching goals.
According to the announcement, it will not only support the development of individual artists, but also encourage the creation of new manga brands and stories that originate outside of Japan.
Particularly promising talents should even be looked after by permanent editors who will accompany them until a possible manga debut in Japan.
Feedback from editors
The project is based on two central offers. Using the new “Online Portfolio Review MOCHIKOMI” platform, manga creators from all over the world can submit their work directly to KADOKAWA at any time and have it evaluated by editors.
The company is also planning personal portfolio consultations at international events. It starts with the Anime Expo 2026 in Los Angeles, where KADOKAWA editors will speak directly to young artists and give them individual feedback. Further events in Taiwan and other regions are already being planned.
In this context, KADOKAWA referred to the success of previous international competitions. The first “Wordless World Manga Contest” received a total of 1,126 entries from 104 countries – all without text, according to the specifications.
The current »KADOKAWA WORLD MANGA CONTEST« accepts not only wordless manga, but also classic works with dialogues in Japanese, English, Spanish, French and traditional Chinese.
If the program is successful, more manga from Europe could be published on the Japanese market in the future.
More on the topic:
Via KADOKAWA
© Noriaki Kotoba, Kodansha / Barbarian’s Bride Production Committee