KADOKAWA Wordless Manga Contest Winner to Make Commercial Debut in Japan with Kung Fu Kanfuru on Kadocomi

KADOKAWA announced that a winner of its international manga award, the Wordless Manga Contest held last year, will make their first commercial debut in Japan. As the first title from this initiative, the new series Kung Fu Kanfuru by India-based manga creator maste ly x, read as Master Lynx, will launch on KADOKAWA’s manga portal Kadocomi at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, May 15, 2026. This commercial debut is the first case to emerge from KADOKAWA’s creative support project for overseas creators. The project provides end-to-end support, from discovering and nurturing overseas creators to helping them achieve commercial debuts. Preparations are also underway for other contest winners to debut in Japan. Created by India-based maste ly x, the series is an action comedy that blends kung fu, Goemon, and other Japanese and Asian cultural elements through the creators’ distinctive sensibility. During production, the author created the original text in English, while KADOKAWA’s Overseas Manga Editorial Department adjusted the Japanese dialogue and sound effects. Despite working across different countries and languages, the team brought the series to launch through online communication. The story follows Goemon, a notorious master thief, as he clashes with the villainous Whiskers gang over a treasure held by a young boy named Bao. When Goemon is driven into a desperate corner, a second personality sleeping within him awakens, and he defeats the enemy with an unconscious kung fu kick. What awaits Goemon and Bao in their foolish, fast-moving adventure? The series is described as a nonstop action comedy. In a comment, maste ly x said that, having grown up with Dragon Ball, stepping into the manga industry built by legends such as Akira Toriyama feels like a dream. Coming from a small town in India, they never imagined they would one day serialize manga in Japan. They expressed deep gratitude for the opportunity and said they hope readers enjoy Kung Fu Kanfuru and join them on this adventure. maste ly x is a unit formed by India-based brother manga creators Jiva and Yash. They have worked under the name maste ly x since 2022 and create works influenced by Japanese manga. In 2025, they won the Silver Prize in KADOKAWA’s international Wordless Manga Contest for Heatsteel. The editor commented that their first impression was simply, “an extraordinary talent.” Japanese manga culture had reached India and given rise to a remarkable creator, and now that talent is about to bloom in Japan. The editor said they hope as many manga fans as possible discover the work. Kung Fu Kanfuru will begin serialization on Kadocomi at 11:00 a.m. on May 15, 2026, with one new chapter scheduled for release on the third Friday of every month. Chapters 1 to 3 will remain free at all times, and from chapter 4 onward, readers will be able to read chapters 1 to 3 plus the latest chapter for free. Through its creative support project KADOKAWA WORLD MANGA ATELIER, KADOKAWA is continuing initiatives such as international manga contests, the Online Portfolio Review MOCHIKOMI submission review site for overseas creators, and ONSITE Portfolio Review editorial feedback programs held overseas. Under its mission to become a creative platform that connects global talent with moving experiences, KADOKAWA aims to create new IP through collaboration with talented creators around the world and accelerate content development across countries and languages.