News

Pony Canyon Offers 1 Million Yen & Chance to Get Idea Made Into Anime

Pony Canyon opened a website for the first “Anime Adaptation Competition” on Monday. The grand prize winner will receive one million yen (about US$9,985) prize and the opportunity to have his or her idea turned into an anime.

The competition allows participants to submit ideas for anime in four categories: manga, novel/scenario/plot, illustration, or music. The genre of the piece is completely up to the creator.

The manga category does not have a strict maximum number of pages, but ask that participants keep story manga within 32 pages, and gag manga within 16 pages. Four-panel manga should have a maximum of 10 strips. Rough drafts are also permissable.

Those hoping to submit works to the illustration category must make multiple illustrations that tell an original story, and must include two color pages. Pages may be drawn horizontally or vertically. If possible, it is requested that the author include a plot summary over one page.

Hand-drawn illustrations must be handed in on paper sized larger than A4 size, and illustrators are free to use colors in their drawings. Monochrome drawings must be drawn in black ink, and screen tones are allowed. Digital illustrations must be submitted on a file with a resolution higher than 350 pixel per inch.

Novel/scenario/plot submissions must be submitted to the contest in the Japanese language written on a word processor or computer. The file must have 80~150 pages of content, and only .txt files are permitted for submission.

Those who wish to participate in the music section of the contest must submit original music that tells a story with its sound. The contest is accepting entries with three or more tracks of music. There is no set limit for the length of the tracks, but one song should be over two minutes, and under five. If possible, it is requested that the author include a plot summary over one page.

Members of the judge's panel include Good Smile Company president Takanori Aki (Senki Zesshō Symphogear, Black Rock Shooter executive producer), President and CEO of Production I.G Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (Attack on Titan, Guilty Crown executive producer), A-1 Pictures president Mitsuo Ueda (Birdy the Mighty: Decode, InuYasha planning), Nitroplus president Dejitarō, J.C. Staff department chief Yuji Matsukura (Karin, Honey and Clover animation producer), and an unnamed Pony Canyon anime producer.

The committee is collecting submissions for the contest from Monday until September 2. Winners are expected to be announced in the latter half of October. In addition to the grand prize, the competition also offers a special mention prize for 300,000 yen (US$3,000).

[Via Yaraon!]