Multilingual pop-culture website, asianbeat; manga, illustration and novel posting site, DreamTribe; and Kitakyushu subculture hotspot for manga artists and illustrators alike, The Kitakyushu Manga Museum, are banning together to sponsor a manga based cultural exchange known as the “4koma Manga Contest,” in hopes of deepening mutual understanding among young people overseas. Submitted works should be composed on one of three specific themes. Works that have passed the initial screening will then be posted on the asianbeat website where ballots will also be cast. Based upon a combination of popular vote and expert critique, one work will be awarded the grand prize and another three works will be selected as runner-ups.

< Contest >
The Second Annual asianbeat 4Koma Manga Contest

< Themes for Submissions >
(1) 4koma manga about Everyday Life
(2) 4koma manga about Fukuoka
(3) 4koma manga about Travel
* 4Koma manga: A comic-strip format, generally consists of gag comic strips with four panels.


< Schedule >
(1)Registration Opens
　　October 1st (Tuesday) until November 5th (Tuesday), 2013.
　　* Please note that the closing time for registrations on November 5th is 2 pm.*
　　* Applications will be accepted via the DreamTribe website.
　　* The submitted works will be published on the DreamTribe website.
(2)Preliminary Screening
　　November 15th (Friday) 2013
(3)Online Voting
　November 15th (Friday) to December 18th (Wednesday), 2013
　　* Entries that have passed the preliminary screening will then be voted for on the asianbeat website.
(4)Announcement of Prize Winners
　　December 25th (Wednesday), 2013
　* Prize winners will be determined based upon review by a sponsor appointed examination board and popular vote.
　* Winners will be announced via the asianbeat and DreamTribe websites.

< Judge >
Sakae Matsui: former editor who dealt with many hit works such as the current ZEEX representative, Kinikuman, and Saint Seiya, among others. The Kitakyushu Manga Museum director, along with two others have also helped contribute to make this contest possible.

< Prizes >
　○Grand Prize: 100,000 Yen & An Art Kit (1 work selected)
　○For outside Japan: 30,000 Yen, an art kit & a pack of Fukuoka Goods (1 work selected)
　○Kitakyushu Manga Museum Award: 30,000 Yen & Museum prize goods (1 work selected)
　○Award of Excellence: 100,000 yen & a cartoon studios DX pize (1 work selected)
　○The Fighting Spirit Award: An Ultimatum professional B4 (Torres units) (1 work selected)
* For competitors living abroad or of a non-Japanese nationality, prizes will be awarded to those with the most number of votes from non-Japanese nationals
* Prize offers (Art Kits) - are sponsored by IC, Inc.
　
< Main Sponsors >
　asianbeat、Kyushu Manga Museum, DreamTribe