Shogakukan has officially inaugurated the Rumiko Takahashi Fantasy Manga Awards, a new competition seeking to discover the next generation of talent in the genre. Announced in the combined 42nd and 43rd issue of Weekly Shonen Sunday, the contest invites both professional and amateur artists to submit original works that incorporate at least one fantasy element. The legendary creator behind Inuyasha and Ranma 1/2 will personally oversee the judging panel, which also includes Weekly Shonen Sunday editor-in-chief Kazunori Ōshima.
The competition offers significant incentives for creators, with the grand prize winner receiving 1 million yen and a guaranteed publication in Weekly Shonen Sunday or a related spinoff, as well as a feature on the Sunday Webry platform. Additional prizes ranging from 30,000 to 500,000 yen will be awarded to runners-up and honorable mentions. The final results are scheduled for release on March 24, 2027, via the magazine and the official awards portal.
This initiative highlights the enduring influence of Takahashi, whose career has spanned nearly five decades and resulted in over 230 million copies of her works in circulation as of August 2024. Her portfolio remains a cornerstone of the industry, with recent adaptations like the new Ranma 1/2 anime series and the ongoing MAO adaptation keeping her stories in the spotlight. With the submission window closing in early 2027, the industry will be watching to see if this contest identifies a new voice capable of capturing the same genre-defining appeal as Takahashi's own catalog.
