Newspaper Advertisement for KADOKAWA's Comic "Chanto Suenai Kyuketsuki-chan" Wins Work Award at the "93rd Mainichi Advertisement Design Awards"

KADOKAWA CORPORATION (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; Director, Representative Executive Officer, President & CEO: Takeshi Natsuno; hereinafter "KADOKAWA") announces that the newspaper advertisement for its published work "Chanto Suenai Kyuketsuki-chan" won the Work Award in the "Advertiser Participating Works Category" at the "93rd Mainichi Advertisement Design Awards" (Sponsored by The Mainichi Newspapers Co., Ltd., Supported by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry). The awards ceremony was held at Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo on Monday, April 13, 2026, where a plaque was presented. The award-winning piece is a 5-column advertisement for the comic "Chanto Suenai Kyuketsuki-chan," published in the morning edition of the Mainichi Shimbun on November 8, 2025. Under the catchphrase "Itadakimachu!" (a play on 'Itadakimasu' and a kissing/sucking sound), it features a mechanism where readers can simulate the moment just before being bitten by the heroine, a vampire girl, by placing their arm on the newspaper page. It is an experiential advertisement that utilizes the characteristics of the newspaper medium to encourage the reader's own "physical involvement." The planning and production were centered around our company, and handled by our employee Shuhei Abe. Abe has won several advertising awards in the past, making this his fifth award overall. | "93rd Mainichi Advertisement Design Awards" Work Award Winning Piece Published in the morning edition of the Mainichi Shimbun on November 8, 2025 (5 columns) Production / KADOKAWA Creative Director / Copywriter / Art Director: Shuhei Abe (KADOKAWA) Designer: Miki Hachisuka (Attic) Illustrator: Kyosuke Nishiki | Person in Charge of Production KADOKAWA Advertising Department Comic & Game Advertising Division, Comic & Digital Media Advertising Section Comic & Game Advertising Division Creative Director Shuhei Abe Joined KADOKAWA as a new graduate in 2014. After editing character magazines for girls and children's novels, he transferred to the Advertising Department in 2017. Since then, he has been in charge of advertising for comic editorial departments. He handles a wide range of planning, copywriting, and direction, from graphics to TV commercials. His works such as the web commercial "The Foreigner Who Will Absolutely Not Tell You the Title of His Favorite Manga" and the newspaper ad "You can't see it, but it's there." have become popular topics. He has also won the Yomiuri Publishing Advertising Award (Gold, Silver, and Special Awards) and the Asahi Advertising Award. [Awards History] - 26th Yomiuri Publishing Advertising Award "Wana Girl" Creative Director - 28th Yomiuri Publishing Advertising Award "Ichigo Mashimaro" Creative Director / Copywriter - 29th Yomiuri Publishing Advertising Award "Haikei Mishiranu Dannasama, Rikon Shite Itadakimasu" Creative Director / Copywriter - 73rd Asahi Advertising Award, Newspaper Advertising Category "Itoko no Ko" Creative Director / Copywriter / Art Director - 93rd Mainichi Advertisement Design Awards, Advertiser Participating Works Category "Chanto Suenai Kyuketsuki-chan" Creative Director / Copywriter / Art Director Influenced by Masahiko Sato and Tatsuya Saito's book "Placing a Finger," I had been considering an expression where a new meaning emerges when the reader takes some action on the newspaper page. One day, while thinking about this work "Chanto Suenai Kyuketsuki-chan," an idea suddenly came to me that perfectly multiplied the heroine vampire girl's cuteness with this concept of "physical involvement." That became this "simulated blood-sucking experience" advertisement. It was brought to life thanks to two people: Nishiki-sensei, who readily accepted my presentation and drew the vampire girl waiting for an arm, and Hachisuka-san, who put effort into creating a design that makes people instinctively want to place their arms on it. I am happy to know that it was evaluated as a highly attractive creative piece. Moving forward, I want to continue valuing "fundamental thinking" and conceive creatives that will remain in someone's memory. | Overview of the "Mainichi Advertisement Design Awards" The "Mainichi Advertisement Design Awards" is an advertising award with the longest history in Japan, established in 1931 as part of the commercial art promotion movement. It consists of two categories: the "General Public Submission / Advertiser Challenge Category" and the "Advertiser Participating Works Category." The "Advertiser Participating Works Category," in which KADOKAWA won the Work Award this time, targets advertisements published in the Mainichi Shimbun. 101 pieces were entered in this category, from which 16 were selected as winners. One Grand Prize, three Excellence Awards, one Mainichi Shimbun Special Award, ten Work Awards, and one Planning Award were selected.