Niuhi Indie Manga Contest Now Open

WIN $1200 AND GO GLOBAL— NIUHI INDIE MANGA CONTEST NOW OPEN

Take your manga to the next level with pro feedback and reach readers beyond borders.

April 23, 2026 — KOMODO today announced the NIUHI Indie Manga Contest, open to creators worldwide and held on ARTStreet by MediBang platform [https://MediBang.com/contest/niuhi2026/], in collaboration with NIUHI. Participants will have the chance to win prizes, receive professional feedback, and publish their work on NIUHI.

■Contest Prizes

The NIUHI Indie Manga Contest offers multiple award tiers to support creators at different stages:

● Grand Prize (1 winner)
$1,200 cash prize, translation support (English, Japanese, Traditional Chinese, French, and more), professional feedback from leading industry experts, and the opportunity to publish on NIUHI

● Second Prize (1 winner)
$300 cash prize, professional feedback from industry experts, and the opportunity to publish on NIUHI

● Appreciation Prize (30 winners)
$12 cash prize and the opportunity to publish on NIUHI

■Open to Creators Worldwide

The contest is open to creators from around the world! * Manga submissions are accepted in English, Traditional Chinese, and Japanese.

■Event Period

Submission Period: April 24, 2026 – May 31, 2026 (JST)

■Advisor

Grand Prize and Runner-Up winners will receive feedback from three professional manga artists and editors:

● Ryoichi Suzuki / Head of Kodansha Creators' Lab:
Worked on titles such as Sayonara, Zetsubou-Sensei, As the Gods Will, We Did It, and Gal & Dinosaur for Weekly Shōnen Magazine and Young Magazine. Launched “DAYS NEO” in 2018 and “Kodansha Game Creators' Lab” in 2020, and has held their current position since 2021.

● Ryosuke Goto / Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Kansai Division, Mag Garden
Since joining the company in 2014, he has been involved in the relaunch of Monthly Comic Garden and the launch of MAGBOX, a collaborative label with Manga Box. He currently focuses on discovering and developing regional manga creators through MAGKAN, operated by Mag Garden's Kansai Division. (Selected works include Kamase Inu no Oukan and Meikon no Chigiri.) He also serves as a Visiting Associate Professor at Osaka University of Arts.

● Asanaya / Manga Artist, Illustrator:
Worked on the manga adaptation of The Alchemist on the Outskirts of the Royal Capital: Since It Was a “Useless” Job, I'll Run a Relaxed Shop. Also handled the artwork and character design for Mimicry Girls, a Silver Prize winner at the 28th Dengeki Novel Prize.

Ready to enter? Visit the official contest page on ARTStreet by MediBang for full details and submission guidelines:

[https://MediBang.com/contest/niuhi2026/]

NIUHI features a unique community-driven translation system that allows readers to contribute translations, helping creators reach new audiences across languages. The platform also offers an industry-leading revenue share model designed to support and reward creators.

Take the next step in your creative journey and share your story with manga fans across languages. Join the NIUHI Indie Manga Contest today and start turning your ideas into opportunities!

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About NIUHI (https://newmanganow.com)

The next-gen manga platform from KOMODO. Delivering fresh hot indie manga from Japan to the World, with free reads every day. On NIUHI, you can discover, purchase, sell, and translate high-quality indie manga and comics. NIUHI: New Manga Now!

About KOMODO (https://komodo.jp/)

Based in Tokyo, Honolulu, and Seoul, KOMODO works on products that shape the gaming and manga industries of the future. KOMODO HAWAI'I develops NIUHI and publishes popular titles on PC and game consoles. Additionally, Tokyo-based KOMODO Co., Ltd. is the producer of original manga including the new sci-fi action series MOON CIDERS, and the official provider of Valve's Steam Deck, Steam Machine, Steam Controller, and Steam Frame in Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and South Korea.