BookLive launches its first manga contest with 100,000 yen prizes

BookLive opened the call for its first manga contest on November 2, the COMIC Étoile Isekai & Gendai Kyun Manga Award. The competition celebrates five years of COMIC Étoile, its manga label for a female audience, and offers a top prize of 100,000 yen in each of its two categories.

The idea is to find and support new authors. That's why they don't ask for a long story: a one-shot of four finished pages is enough. You can enter one of the two divisions or both, and registration is free through Xfolio, BookLive's platform for creators.

Two very clear themes: isekai and modern romance

The contest splits the call into an isekai category and a contemporary category, and each has its own required theme. The isekai one asks for a story with this premise: "A young noblewoman who knows nothing of love meets her destined prince at a ball." The contemporary one is about "a secret kiss with an overly sweet boyfriend."

These are two lines that fit perfectly with what COMIC Étoile publishes, a label that ranges from otherworldly fantasies to intense love stories with satisfying endings. The themes aren't random: they work as a style exercise so the judges can see what each participant can bring within the label's tone.

The prizes are the same in both categories: 100,000 yen for gold, 50,000 yen for silver, and 10,000 yen for an honorable mention. The top two include something as valuable as the money: the assignment of a responsible editor. That means direct guidance to keep publishing, which is exactly what someone just starting out is looking for.

Dates and how to enter

The call will be open until January 31, 2027 at 11:59 PM, Japan time. To enter, you need to create a portfolio on Xfolio, upload the four-page one-shot, and add the corresponding tag: "4P Étoile Isekai" for the fantasy category and "4P Étoile Gendai" for the contemporary one.

The jury is made up of the editorial teams from Étoile and Gluna, another BookLive line. Results will be announced around March 2027 on Xfolio. The fine print warns that there may be no winners in a category if no work reaches the required level, and that the amounts don't include taxes.

The author Akikaze Kinoko, who publishes the manga "Kuji" kara Hajimaru Konyaku Seikatsu in COMIC Étoile, left a message for those hesitant to take the leap. She says showing your work and exposing yourself to evaluation is scary, and that sometimes learning your real level is discouraging. But she also reminds you that finishing a work from scratch is already a huge achievement, and that the life of a professional manga artist brings tougher challenges, for which a good editor is the best ally.