Japanese publisher Kodansha has announced the winners of its "Mangaka Discovery" global manga award, a competition organized through the Kodansha Manga Academy. The contest, which ran from April 20 to July 22, sought submissions in English or Japanese to identify new talent for the publisher's various magazine lines.
The seven Grand Prize winners include Isaacell (United Kingdom) for Saint & Rocky, the goose man for GOOSI AND THE LIST, Ichi (Uruguay) for Penitent Crown, goroweko for A Heart of Lead, Heitor Amatsu (Brazil) for FLY, 8OttoVan (Italy) for MOVIEAFTERLIFE, and Susumu Romu (Italy) for Pitcher in the trench.
According to the publisher, each Grand Prize recipient will be paired with a Kodansha editor to prepare for a professional debut. Winners also receive a cash prize of 300,000 yen, a two-year subscription to Clip Studio EX, and an invitation to an awards ceremony in Tokyo scheduled for February 2027. The winning works are slated for digital release on the K Manga and Comic Days platforms beginning in December. In addition to the Grand Prize winners, 21 creators were awarded the Encouragement Prize and will also receive editorial support.
