Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on July 2014

International Manga Award

In its eighth year running, this is the oldest large-scale international manga competition in the business. Run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was started to expand international exchange and global understanding of manga culture. www.manga-award.jp

Manga Jiman (UK residents only)

Organized by the Japanese Embassy in the U.K. and open to all U.K. residents aged 14 and over. www.facebook.com/MangaJiman

Morning International Comic Competition

Run by Kodansha, the biggest publisher in Japan. This particular magazine has a mainly adult male audience, but the competition accepts all genres. http://morningmanga.com/micc/

Shonen Jump Manga Competition

The best-selling (and longest-running) weekly manga magazine that’s been in circulation since 1968 had its first manga competition last year. It’s open to submissions in English, Japanese and Chinese. This is by far the most prestigious award out there. https://mangaaward.shonenjump.com/en/

Silent Manga Audition

A relatively new competition that has just finished its second installment. The crux: as with silent films, dialogue in “silent” manga is minimal—meaning the art has to be sequential and easy to follow. www.manga-audition.com

Also see our feature, including 5 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Becoming a Manga Artist.