HuMa Creative Empowers Vietnam’s Next Generation of Manga Artists through HUE MATSURI 2023 Manga Contest

HuMa Creative, under MH RAROMA, successfully organized the Manga Contest within HUE MATSURI 2023—an initiative designed to discover, nurture, and connect emerging Vietnamese comic artists with global opportunities, particularly in the Japanese manga industry.

A Platform for Emerging Talent

As part of HUE MATSURI 2023, the Manga Contest was launched as an open creative platform for Vietnamese artists of all ages and backgrounds. Conducted entirely online, the competition attracted a wide range of participants across the country, reflecting the growing momentum of Vietnam’s comic and illustration community.

The contest ran from July 1 to August 20, 2023, and invited artists to submit original works across three main categories:

• Manga

• Webtoon

• Illustration

Each category was designed to evaluate different aspects of artistic capability - from storytelling and panel composition to character design and visual expression. Beyond a traditional competition, the Manga Contest was structured as a talent identification pipeline, enabling HuMa Creative to assess artists through real production-like tasks and creative challenges.

Industry-Oriented Evaluation Framework

A key highlight of the contest was its alignment with real industry standards - particularly those of the Japanese manga market. In the Manga category, for example:

• Participants were required to develop a romance manga (approx. 15 pages) based on provided storyboards from a Japanese partner, simulating actual production workflows.

• Additional sub-categories such as Original Comics and Horror Short Frames allowed artists to showcase both technical execution and original storytelling capabilities.

The Webtoon category emphasized:

• Vertical storytelling format (tateyomi)

• Character design sheets and narrative development

• Themes inspired by “Vietnam through the lens of Manga”

Meanwhile, the Illustration category focused on:

• Single artwork pieces reflecting Vietnamese themes and identity

This structured approach allowed HuMa Creative to evaluate not only artistic skills, but also adaptability to international production pipelines, communication standards, and genre versatility.

Strong Incentives and Real Career Opportunities

The contest offered attractive rewards, including:

• Grand prizes of up to 20 million VND

• Software licenses for CLIP STUDIO PAINT (up to 3 years)

• Sponsored participation in the award ceremony at HUE MATSURI 2023

More importantly, top-performing artists were given access to real career opportunities:

• Introduction and potential debut with Japanese publishers

• Opportunities to participate in manga production projects post-contest

• Direct engagement with HuMa Creative’s production network

Additionally, the first 150 valid submissions received free software licenses, encouraging early participation and lowering entry barriers for young artists .

Discovering Vietnam’s Promising Creators

The Manga Contest successfully identified a number of outstanding young artists across all categories. Notable winners in the Manga category included:

• Grand Prize (Original Comic): Nguyễn Quang Huy

• Excellence Awards: Đoàn Hoàng Thu Hằng, Nguyễn Thị Quỳnh Nhi, La Trần Nhật Uyên

• Encouragement Awards: Multiple emerging artists showcasing strong potential

Similarly, the Webtoon category highlighted new talents capable of adapting to digital-first storytelling formats, while the Illustration category revealed artists with strong visual identity and cultural expression.

These results demonstrate the depth and diversity of Vietnam’s creative talent pool, reinforcing the country’s potential as a rising hub for manga and webtoon production.

From Contest to Talent Network

For HuMa Creative, the Manga Contest was not only an event, but a strategic initiative within its broader mission:

To build a sustainable artist network in Vietnam and connect local talent with global opportunities.

Through this contest, HuMa Creative:

• Identified and evaluated high-potential artists

• Expanded its internal artist network

• Established a foundation for long-term collaboration and training

This aligns with HuMa’s role as a bridge between Vietnam and Japan, providing partners with access to a scalable, high-quality talent pool that meets industry standards.

Looking Ahead

Following the success of the HUE MATSURI 2023 Manga Contest, HuMa Creative continues to develop similar initiatives aimed at:

• Discovering new talent across Southeast Asia

• Enhancing artist training and production readiness

• Strengthening collaboration with international publishers and studios

By combining local creativity with global production standards, HuMa Creative is committed to shaping the future of manga and webtoon - starting from Vietnam.