Aug 01, 2025 09:00:00

'GIGAZINE Manga Award' August 2025 Entries Open & We've Gathered the Best Couples and Combinations That Show Off the Character's Charm

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Himitsu no Miyazono ,' a story in which a lonely girl meets an android girl and various fates begin to change, reached its final episode with the second half of episode 8 , updated on July 30, 2025. We hope you will support the series' finale and take on the challenge of a new serialized work in the GIGAZINE Manga Awards . Since the deep connection between the two characters was an important theme of 'Himitsu no Miyazono,' we have compiled a variety of ' great duos and couples ' from ongoing and completed works, so be sure to check them out.

Check out the ongoing manga and comics below!

'Let Me Make It! Ejima-san' Episode 1 'Let Me Make a Love Game!'

Read 'The Secret Palace Garden' Episode 1: 'Loneliness, a Beautiful Girl, and an Android'

Check out the comics below for 'The Part-Time Life of a Hero and a Corporate Slave,' a story about a man who works two jobs in two worlds : as a 'hero' and a 'corporate slave '!

Check out the comic '

I'm the Gas Man!!, ' the story of Kiyu's year as a new employee at the gas company, below!

Vampire x Maid x Garlic Gourmet ' Master Smells Like Garlic! ' Comic available below!

Also check out the comic '

Ame Ame Fure Fure Usoyande ,' which depicts two weeks with a girl who loves rain and a boy who is cursed by it!

◆Click here for the 'GIGAZINE Manga Award' application guidelines

If you have already read the recruitment requirements and would like to apply anyway, please use the application form .

◆Send your portfolio to apply for illustration, storyboarding, or illustration help

◆ For original scripts and novels, please click here

◆We've collected some great couples and duos
It's difficult to bring out the charm of a single character in a story that revolves around only one character. We've collected some 'great duos and couples' from various works that multiply and double the charm of those characters.

The story of ' Secret Palace Garden ' begins when an android named Rion appears before Kanon, who is living a lonely life. Rion courts Kanon and forcefully invades her daily life, causing Kanon to strongly resist.

As Kanon gets to know Rinne better and understands her strong feelings, she gradually opens up to her. And although Kanon and Rinne are deeply connected, an inevitable separation comes. You can now read all the details about Kanon's regrets and choices, as well as the conclusion after a long separation, all in one go

from here , so be sure to check it out.

The ongoing series '

Let Me Make It! Ejima-san ' is a love story about a man who wants to turn his idol into a game, and a woman who wants him to focus on her, not the game, and the two engage in a flirtatious battle. Kaido, a junior in the club, makes no secret of his feelings for Ejima, while continuing to create a romance game in which Ejima is the heroine. Ejima also has feelings for Kaido, but is constantly angry at his behavior and finds it difficult to be honest with him.

Graduation season approaches, and as their separation approaches, Ejima and Kaido are gradually growing closer. What will happen to their relationship in this season of major turning points?

Another pair to look out for is Nao and Kai from '

Ame Ame Fure Fure Usoyande .' Kai has been labeled a 'rain man' who brings heavy rain wherever he goes and spends his time, even inviting disasters, and is treated like a jinx, which has led to him becoming depressed. When Nao meets Kai, she uses her boundless positivity and cheerfulness to carry out various schemes to somehow bring sunshine to Kai, a rain man who has never seen the sun. A boy who arrives with the constant rain and a girl who loves rain. Be sure to check out the comics to find out the story of just two weeks between these two people who met in a small town!

Yuhi and Hikaru from '

Asahina-san, Who Just Wants to Bully Me ' are also an interesting couple. Asahina Hikaru, the only daughter of a wealthy man, has always been picking on Yoruhashi Yuhi, who has been with her since childhood. The two can no longer be just good friends like they used to be. What are the pitiful thoughts behind the strange connection between these two girls...?

Mint, a vampire, and Kaori, a maid, appear in '

Master, I Smell Like Garlic! ' and are a great duo whose compatibility is unclear. Vampires have a weakness for garlic. Kaori, who looks after Mint, loves garlic and wants her beloved master to eat delicious garlic dishes. Mint is tempted by the appeal of garlic dishes and eats them, but she can't do anything about her 'weakness'... A gourmet story bursting with cuteness and deliciousness between a hungry vampire and a garlic-loving maid? Be sure to check out the comic version of the manga 'Master, I Smell Like Garlic!'

If you have any comments about the manga or characters, please use

the manga review form . If you have any other questions or requests regarding applications or serialization, please use the contact form .

◆'GIGAZINE Manga Award' Application Guidelines

▼What happens if you serialize a manga on GIGAZINE?
・Completely remote work & work timing can be left to your discretion

・Serialized manga will be published on GIGAZINE, so people can read it first.

- No strict deadlines, making scheduling easy

・No restrictions on genre or target audience, anything is OK as long as it's interesting

・Assistants are available to help with coloring and backgrounds (no need to pay for them yourself)

・Because we are still a young label, it is easy for opinions and requests to be accepted, just like a venture company!

・For those who have concerns about working as a freelancer, such as 'Is it okay if I don't know anything about laws or taxes?' or 'What is it like working on a serial with an editor?', we have published 'Guidelines for creating an environment where freelancers can work with peace of mind' in line with the guidelines of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. We have compiled a Q&A to answer any questions or concerns you may have, so please take a look.

And more. If you have any other questions, please click here and contact us.

▼Basic conditions:
・It is assumed that it can be read on a smartphone (no double-page spreads, vertical scrolling is the standard)

・Full color, full digital (black and white works may be treated as 'original works', but submissions are welcome)

・Submissions must be of any genre, and must include the completed manuscript of the first episode and its behind-the-scenes materials . Please send behind-the-scenes materials including character designs and settings, as well as a summary of the entire story, in a range of approximately 200-800 characters. Please note that submissions that are insufficient may not be reviewed.

・Manuscript format:
Please refer to ' The Princess and the Gamer ' for aspect ratio, file size, and resolution.

・Number of manuscript pages:
Free. Any number of pages is OK.

▼Other:
・Original works that you have already published in other media or on other platforms are OK.

・Works that were published in magazines but never published in book form, or that were discontinued midway through due to unavoidable circumstances, are also OK. Please don't give up.

▼Deadline:
Sunday, August 31, 2025, 11:59:59 PM

▼Review process:

After the first round of selection by the editorial team, the planned review process is as follows: The review process and stages may be subject to slight changes, so we will send you separate explanations and confirmations before the first round of review.

Phase 1: Evaluation in a closed environment that can only be viewed by GIGAZINE Secret Club members + Evaluation including making materials by the editorial department
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Stage 2: This is a format that is more geared towards serialization, and the review will be conducted after additional necessary information has been created, such as the 'first episode manuscript' and 'plot up to the final episode.' If you have progressed this far, we will almost certainly guarantee that your work will be serialized in some form.
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Final stage: The serialized manuscript will be judged by the editor-in-chief of GIGAZINE, evaluated by GIGAZINE Secret Club members, and judged by guests such as writers currently serializing in GIGAZINE, to comprehensively determine the Grand Prize winner. In addition, if the work remains in the final stage, the serialization will be guaranteed.

▼Rewards:

All those who passed the first round of judging and were selected for the first stage:
Prize money: 30,000 yen

Advance to the second stage:
An additional prize of 20,000 yen will be awarded, plus an editor will be assigned to help with serialization.

Finalists:
If you advance to the final stage, you will receive an additional prize of 50,000 yen (total of 100,000 yen) plus a guarantee that your submitted work will be serialized after being polished.

Prize winners and above:
Additional prize money from 100,000 yen + guaranteed serialization

Grand Prize:
Prize money of 1 million yen + guaranteed serialization of submitted work as is

▼Selection results of submitted works
For works that proceed to the first stage of judging, we will contact you via the email address provided at the time of application by the end of the month following the month of application with details about the judging.
Please note that in all other cases, we will not generally notify you of the results of the review.

▼Procedure after winning the award
After publishing in serial form on GIGAZINE, it will be made into an e-book and sold on Amazon. We will pay the prescribed manuscript fee and royalties for each. GIGAZINE will also be responsible for selling and promoting the e-book.

▼Question form:
If you have any questions regarding your application, please click here to contact us. If we receive similar questions repeatedly, we will compile them into an FAQ, so we appreciate your understanding and cooperation.

▼Manga Award Application Form:

Click here

◆Applications for illustrations, storyboards, and illustration helpers

▼How to apply for 'drawing only':
Simply show the URL of your portfolio or collection of works on the Manga Award application form . In the 'Other' section, write 'Submitting artwork only.' There is no limit to the number of illustrations or manga you can submit for your portfolio, and there is no required minimum number, but the more you submit, the more likely you are to receive positive feedback.

▼How to apply for 'Name Composition Manager'
We are also looking for 'name composition' applicants, who will create names from the original script of the text. As with the illustration-only applicants, please send us as much information as possible about your portfolio, names of works you have created in the past, and manga works.

▼ 'Artwork only' and 'Storyboard composition' review flow:
We will contact you by the month after you submit the form if you pass the first stage of judging, which is based on your portfolio. In the second stage, we will ask you to actually draw a trial original, and if you pass, we will move on to the final stage of voting.

▼Rewards:
Participants who passed the first stage of portfolio screening and are participating in the second stage:
Prize money: 50,000 yen
*As this judging process requires additional manuscript work, all applicants who advance to and participate in the second stage will receive a stipend.

Winners of the final judging:
Additional prize of 100,000 yen + guaranteed serialization

Grand Prize:
Additional prize of 200,000 yen + guaranteed serialization

*Due to the nature of the original script, it is not possible for the work to be serialized immediately, but we will guarantee serialization by making it a priority proposal.

▼How to apply for help:
We are also looking for helpers to help create full-color manga. We also welcome help with underpainting characters, text placement, and backgrounds. This is a completely remote project, and you can participate from home whenever you can.

▼Conditions :
Nothing in particular. The process is 'if you can work, choose what you want to take on from the task list and work on it,' so it's possible to not participate if you're busy.
You can also help out, earn some pocket money, improve your skills, and create original works to submit to the editors.

▼Rewards :
For 'coloring help' and 'background help,' the hourly rate is calculated using work management software. The hourly rate is initially set as a trial period, and then increased depending on the level of skill and the number of contributions made.
In the case of 'name composition,' the manuscript fee will be calculated per page.

▼How to apply :
On the GIGAZINE Manga Award application form , paste the URL where you can view your 'color manuscripts or portfolios you have worked on in the past' instead of 'address/URL for downloading the work file.' Also, in the last section, 'Other necessary information we need to know,' please enter the appropriate information you would like: 'Coloring help,' 'Background help,' or 'Name composition.'

・Manga Award Application Form:
Click here

◆ Original script submission requirements

・In addition to the manuscript for the first episode , please also prepare a plot (synopsis) from episode 1 to the final episode . The synopsis should be a detailed summary of the entire story, between 100 and 800 characters long, and should be written on the first page of the manuscript.

・The first round of judging will simply look at the interest of the story and the level of completion of the first episode. If you advance from the second round to the final round, you will be judged on whether you can consistently create a script with stage directions right up to the final episode, with the aim of actually creating the original manga.

・If you are submitting an 'original work only' and only text, you can paste the text into a Google Doc and enter the shared link address in the application form. In this case, please do not edit the document after submitting.

・Please make sure that your Google sharing settings are set to 'Anyone with the link.' If you leave it set to 'Restricted,' submitted works will not be readable. For more information, please see 'Sharing files publicly' in the Google Docs Help .

▼Rewards:
All those who passed the first round of judging and were selected for the first stage:
Prize money: 30,000 yen

Advance to the second stage:
An additional prize of 20,000 yen will be awarded, plus an editor will be assigned to help with serialization.

Finalists:
If you advance to the final stage, you will receive an additional prize of 50,000 yen (total of 100,000 yen) plus a guarantee that your submitted work will be serialized after being polished.

Prize winners and above:
Prize money of 100,000 yen + guaranteed serialization

Grand Prize:
Prize money of 200,000 yen + guaranteed serialization of submitted work as is

*Due to the matching process with the illustrator, we cannot guarantee that your work will be serialized immediately, but we will guarantee that your work will be serialized by making it a priority proposal.

Click here for the application form

The Manga Award selection process includes the 'GIGAZINE Secret Club (GSC) Closed Judging.' Whether you're a GSC member or not, this is your chance to become a part of GSC and witness the birth of a future masterpiece. Register for the GIGAZINE Secret Club here .

We look forward to receiving applications from all creators. Thank you very much.