Grand Prize of 1 Million Yen! Voice Drama by Shouta Aoi! 'Mecha Comic Female Manga Original Story Award' Now Accepting Entries

Mecha Comic Inc. (Chiyoda City, Tokyo; President and CEO, Takashi Kodama) will begin accepting entries for the novel contest 'Mecha Comic Female Manga Original Story Award,' co-hosted with the novel submission site 'EveryStar,' starting Monday, June 15, 2026.

For full contest details, visit:

https://estar.jp/official_contests/159888

This contest aims to discover original stories for female-oriented manga adaptations to be distributed on 'Mecha Comic.' To date, 'Mecha Comic' has gained strong support for manga adaptations based on 'EveryStar' originals. Hit works such as the drama-adapted 'The Healing Neighbor Has a Secret' and 'Taisho Substitute Marriage ~Konpeitō Melts Sweetly~,' which surpassed 500 million yen in total sales, have emerged as major successes.

The sixth edition of the contest expands its theme to attract a wider range of submissions and offers the largest prize in its history: 1 million yen. Additionally, popular voice actor Shouta Aoi, known for roles such as Subayashiki Ai in 'Uta no☆Prince-sama♪,' will join as a special judge. The winning entry of the 'Voice Award' will be adapted into a voice drama featuring Shouta Aoi's voice.

We welcome entries featuring 'heroines you want to cheer for' or 'heroes you'd want Shouta Aoi to portray.'

The contest period runs from June 15, 2026 (Monday) at 12:00 PM to September 14, 2026 (Monday) at 3:59 AM.

Official contest special page:

https://estar.jp/official_contests/159888

■ Overview of the Mecha Comic Female Manga Original Story Award

● Awards

・Grand Prize

(1) Guaranteed manga adaptation under Mecha Comic Original

(2) Prize money: 1,000,000 yen

(3) Editorial feedback from the Mecha Comic editorial team

・Silver Prize

(1) Consideration for manga adaptation under Mecha Comic Original

(2) Prize money: 100,000 yen

(3) Editorial feedback from the Mecha Comic editorial team

・Bronze Prize

(1) Consideration for manga adaptation under Mecha Comic Original

(2) Prize money: 10,000 yen

(3) Editorial feedback from the Mecha Comic editorial team

・Voice Award

(1) Voice drama adaptation featuring Shouta Aoi

(2) Consideration for manga adaptation under Mecha Comic Original

(3) Personal commentary on the work from special judge Shouta Aoi

● Special Judge Introduction

Shouta Aoi

Born August 11, from Fukui Prefecture.

Debuted as a voice actor in 2011. Notable roles include Subayashiki Ai in 'Uta no☆Prince-sama♪,' Choudou Yuuyu in 'Cardfight!! Vanguard will+Dress,' Tachibana Itsuki in 'Phantasy Star Online 2 The Animation,' Kaiser Insight in 'Princess Connect! Re:Dive,' Giord Steward in 'I Was Reincarnated as the Villainess with Only Bad End Flags in a Dating Sim,' and Hanazawa Makoto in 'The Criminal Hanazawa-san,' among many others.

After releasing the mini-album 'Blue Bird' in June 2013, he has continued to forge his own unique artistic path.

He is active across a wide range of fields, including voice acting, acting, stage performances, and singing.

― Comment from Shouta Aoi ―

I'm Shouta Aoi, honored to serve as the 'Special Judge' for the newly established 'Voice Award'!

For the winning 'Voice Award' entry, I will personally provide voice acting and deliver it to everyone as a 'voice drama.'

I'm looking forward to free and fun stories that feature the kind of hero I'd love to portray. Romance and love comedies (or something like that) are also very welcome!

I can't wait to discover many of your stories! Looking forward to your entries!

● Schedule

Submission Period: June 15, 2026 (Mon) 12:00 PM – September 14, 2026 (Mon) 03:59 AM

First Announcement: Early November 2026 (tentative)

Second Announcement: Early December 2026 (tentative)

Final Results Announcement: Early February 2027 (tentative)

● Submission Guidelines

- Works of 50,000 characters or more (short story series acceptable)

- Originals intended for manga adaptation targeting women aged 20s to 40s

- Works must include romantic elements or interpersonal relationships between men and women

This year, we recommend story themes centered around 'heroines you want to cheer for':

'Meiji/Taisho × resilient underdog heroine × aloof hero'

'Contemporary × kind-hearted, capable woman often overlooked × aloof hero'

'Western fantasy × heroine who decides her own fate'

'Western fantasy × two characters forced into alliance by shared interests'

For detailed submission guidelines, please visit the contest special page on EveryStar:

https://estar.jp/official_contests/159888

Additionally, in conjunction with the contest launch, we are publishing a special interview with editors from 'Mecha Comic.' This must-read content for applicants covers what kind of works the contest is seeking and which manga are currently popular on 'Mecha Comic.'

https://monokaki.ink/n/nf792425dc488

■ About EveryStar

https://everystar.jp/

Launched in 2010, EveryStar is a novel creation platform where users submit diverse works across genres such as romance, fantasy, horror, mystery, BL, youth, and non-fiction.

Works noticed by the EveryStar editorial team are supported for debut through book publishing and media adaptation offers in partnership with over 40 publishing companies.

■ What is Mecha Comic Original?

'Mecha Comic Original' is an original brand developed by Amutus. Incorporating user needs from the digital market, it is produced in collaboration with our in-house editorial team and partner companies. 'Mecha Comic Original' works are delivered to readers through various media, including digital comic distribution services like 'Mecha Comic,' web ads, TV commercials, tankobon volumes, and dramas, creating numerous hit titles.

https://original.mechacomic.jp/

■ What is Mecha Comic (MechaComi)?

'Mecha Comic (MechaComi)' is a digital comic distribution service launched in 2006.

It offers a wide range of content, including rich original comics, the latest popular titles, and classic series, allowing readers to smoothly enjoy comics in various formats such as 'vertical scroll' and 'page-by-page' reading tailored to user preferences.

Supporting diverse viewing environments such as smartphone browsers and apps, and offering a large selection of free comics, Mecha Comic boasts one of the highest user counts in Japan's digital publishing market.

https://mechacomic.jp/

* Company names, service names, and product names mentioned in this release are trademarks or pending trademarks of their respective owners.