Kyoto International Creators Award 2026

The City of Kyoto and the Kyoto International Manga and Anime Fair executive committee are holding the Kyoto International Creators Award 2026, made up of a comic (manga) contest and a digital anime contest. The award aims to create opportunities for aspiring manga artists and anime creators to make their debut through Kyoto, and entries are now open.

The comic contest is open to aspiring manga artists seeking a professional debut in Japan, or professionals not currently published in commercial magazines. The digital anime contest is open to aspiring digital anime creators seeking a professional debut in Japan, as well as professionals submitting independent work. Both contests are open to all nationalities, and the theme is free. Entrants register and submit work through each contest's website.

The organizers plan to select five works in each contest, for a total of ten, plus an additional Kyoto Prize for a work connected to Kyoto. The top prize is 100,000 yen plus an invitation to the awards ceremony, with a runner-up prize of 50,000 yen and additional cash prizes. For context, the 2025 edition drew 630 entries from 71 countries and regions. The entry period runs from June 4 to August 31, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Japan time, with results announced in mid-to-late October and the awards ceremony in Kyoto in late November.