What You Need to Know:
- MyAnimeList, operator of one of the world’s largest anime and manga communities, launched a web novel writing contest with a total prize pool of 10,000USD on July 5, 2021 (ET). The winning entries were announced on December 12 (ET). These entries will be reviewed by the publishing company Kodansha Ltd. for possible publication and/or comicalization.
- This contest was held in collaboration with Honeyfeed, an English web novel community operated by qdopp, Inc. It was unusual in that, instead of posting a complete work and waiting for the results, contestants were encouraged to post one chapter at a time during the entry period and improve upon their work based on reader feedback. Contestants from all over the world enthusiastically submitted entries featuring storylines and settings rarely seen in Japan, as if they had been impatiently waiting for an opportunity to share their ideas. Out of the 853 entries, 50 advanced to the semi-final voting round. These were further narrowed down to 10, which were again voted on by readers to select the 3 winning entries.
- Please see the campaign page for the results announcement.
- This contest was created as a stepping stone to fulfilling what many overseas anime fans consider the “distant dream” of having one’s ideas made into an anime in Japan. Due to the popularity of the event, it has been decided to hold a second round.
1st Place REALM ASSASSIN by Pearlyn.M (5,000 USD)
Synopsis:
All she knew was what she saw - grass that turned into blades, and flower petals into bombs.
It was called Plant Weaponry. Just like the many things that came out of the devastating explosion 20 years ago. An infamous scientist had rewritten the fabric of reality, introducing a set of realms dominated by monsters. Created as a battle android, Dolly must seek out the scientist who caused it all. But her journey is far from the expected, fraught with fragile humanity under despair, for her reality took an unexpected turn. Betrayal. How does that feel?
2nd Place The Consequence of Saving the World by Harmonica Writes (3,000 USD)
Synopsis:
This isn’t a tale of a high schooler getting stronger to kill the Demon Lord. This is a tale of what happens to his body in the fantasy world after his soul returns to Earth. High schooler Hanasuke Ryojima suddenly found himself in a fantasy world as Evansmith, a village boy. Ten years later, he slew the Demon King, hailing him as a Hero. As Hanasuke's soul returned to Earth, Evansmith, now back in his body, is shocked to discover that ten years have passed and everyone believes he is a Hero! Without any knowledge of magic or swordplay, Evansmith has to shoulder overwhelming responsibility. Forced to confront his old companions, he has to pick up the pieces that were left behind by Hanasuke and find out what it really means to be a Hero.
3rd Place The Sequence of Kai by OscarHM (2,000 USD)
Synopsis:
The world is crazier than even crazy people dared to believe. A magical game of cards is being held at the end of the world or perhaps it's the beginning of a new one. Every card grants the holder a unique power that redefines what the magical world thought to be impossible. The more cards one has, the stronger their powers grow. Kai was a regular girl who found herself caught up with the people involved in this game. Will she come out the other side the same person she was before?
“MyAnimeList’s mission is to create a place where anime and manga fans from all over the world can gather every day, and we are constantly developing our services to meet the needs of overseas users who love Japanese anime and manga. We are not content with the status quo and will continue pushing the envelope to expand our user base.”
About MyAnimeList
MyAnimeList is one of the world’s largest anime and manga communities, with comprehensive databases maintained by its passionate user base. The website allows members to track their viewing progress, rate and discuss titles, write reviews, and discover new works through various community-driven features. With over 12 million monthly active users from more than 200 different countries, MyAnimeList is an essential resource for the international anime and manga fan.
For more about MyAnimeList, please visit https://myanimelist.net/
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Source: Official Press Release