Rising Stars of Manga

"Rising Stars of Manga" (RSoM) is an annual comic anthology published in English by TOKYOPOP beginning in 2002, as well as the name of a contest. It was originally semi-annual, but switched to annual beginning with the 6th volume.

Each issue represents the results of a contest, in which aspiring comic book artists from all over the U.S. each submit a 15-20 page one-shot comic. Tokyopop staff select the best entry in each genre category (Comedy, Action, Mystery, Romance, Drama, Sci-Fi, Fantasy and Horror) to publish in the anthology. Each winner is awarded a $1000 prize. In addition, a People's Choice winner is decided from around 20 entries by votes from online viewers or users of the Toykopop website. The People's Choice winner is awarded $500 and is published in the anthology as well (although a genre winner may also be the People's Choice winner). Before the seventh RSoM competition (in 2007), the staff of TOKYOPOP picked one grand-prize winner, a Second and a Third prize winner, and eight runners-up with no distinctions in genre.

The eighth RSoM competition is ongoing. It began on June 15, 2007, and ends on January 11, 2008. For more details, see [http://www.tokyopop.com/Rising_Stars_of_Manga/gopro/717637.html TOKYOPOP's "Rising Stars of Manga Competition 8" Homepage] .

So far, the youngest entrant to become a finalist has been 15 and the youngest to be published in the anthology has been 16, and the oldest has been 39. Finalists are often offered a chance to submit a proposal to create a series of books, usually lasting three volumes. Other finalists have parlayed the exposure provided by the contest into manga/comics jobs at other companies.

A few of the winners have had the beginning chapters of their comics serialized by syndication in the Sunday comics of various American newspapers ("Peach Fuzz", "Van Von Hunter" in the past, and currently "Mail Order Ninja"), through the Universal Press Syndicate.

Rising Stars of Manga - UK and Éire

In May 2005, the first Rising Stars of Manga competition was launched for residents of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, the results of which were announced on Friday January 6 2006.After the success of the first UK and Éire Competition, Tokyopop continued this annual competition for UK and Éire.
Between December 2006 and January 2007, the winners for the #2 RSOM UK competition have been announced and in the same year of 2007, the results for the #3 RSOM UK competition have also been announced, please see [http://www.tokyopop.com Tokyopop's Official Website] for more details.

Prizes

Winners of all Rising Stars of Manga Competitions will be published and receive a prize money - depending on their place. Additionally, the winners will also have the chance of pitching a 3-volumed manga series to Tokyopop.

RSoM US 1-6 and RSoM UK and Éire 1-3

1 Grand Prize Winner - $2500 (UK:£1000)

1 Second Prize - $1500 (UK:£750)

1 Third Prize - $1000 (UK:£500)

4 Runner-ups - $500 (UK:£250) each.

1 People Choice Award winner - $500 (UK:£250)"Note: The People's Choice Award was not introduced to the public for the first RSoM competitions"

RSoM US 7 and onwards

From the Rising Stars of Manga US Competition 7 and onwards, Tokyopop introduced genres into the competition. The genres are: comedy, drama, action, sci-fi, mystery, fantasy, romance and horror.
The best entries - chosen by the judges of each genre will receive a prize of $1000 and the People's Choice Award winner will receive a prize money of $500.

Comics that started out in "Rising Stars of Manga"

*"Atomic King Daidogan"
*"Bombos versus Everything"
*"Dogby Walks Alone"
*"Mail Order Ninja"
*"Next Exit" (appeared in "RSoM" as "Doors")
*"Peach Fuzz"
*"Work Bites"
*"Van Von Hunter"
*"Divalicious!" (appeared in "RSOM" as "Pop Star")

Comics by authors who started out in "Rising Stars of Manga"

*"Bizenghast" (from the RSoM entry "Nikolai")
*"Mark of the Succubus" (from the RSoM runner-up "Life Remains")
*"MBQ" (from the RSoM entry "Manga")
*"Sorcerers & Secretaries" (from the RSoM entry "The Hopeless Romantic and the Hapless Girl")
*"" (from the RSoM entry "Doors")

External links

* [http://www.tokyopop.com/Rising_Stars_of_Manga/gopro/717637.html TOKYOPOP's "Rising Stars of Manga Competition 8" Homepage]

* [http://www.pseudome.net/tprsom/ RSoM Winners Homepage] Links to individual websites for winners.

* [http://www.tokyopop.com/product/1117/RisingStarsofManga/1.html TOKYOPOP's "Rising Stars of Manga" Manga books] A few winning RSoM7 entries viewable online.

* [http://forum.newsarama.com/search.php?searchid=850980&pp=25 Rising Stars of Manga on Newsarama] Has some interviews with RSoM winners.