Results for 'Next Manga Award 2025,' the festival for discovering the next big hits, announced on September 18, sparking joy and excitement among fans and industry insiders on social media.

In the print manga category, Mao no Ichi took a resounding first place, while Thank You Pitch clinched the top spot in the web manga category. The results brought together works currently leading the manga scene with those expected to be the next big hits.

Print Manga Category: Mao no Ichi Claims Top Spot with Overwhelming Support, Noteworthy Works Follow

Securing first place in the print manga category was Mao no Ichi, a collaboration between Shiro Usazaki and Osamu Nishi. Immediately after the announcement, social media was flooded with praise like "Totally deserved!" and "Undeniably brilliant," reaffirming the series' popularity and high quality. This marks the second consecutive year that a Weekly Shonen Jump title has won the print manga category, following Kagurabachi last year.

Coming in second was COSMOS, with many fans expressing excitement for its future, "getting hyped for an anime adaptation!" The third-place ranking of Chojun! Chojo Senpai (also written as Chojun), which regrettably concluded its serialization, surprised many readers and sparked fervent hopes for its "revival." Comments such as "Shueisha, we want Chojun back!" demonstrate the enduring popularity of the series. Other top-ranked titles included Utsuranai N desu (4th), Heisei Haizanhei Sumire-chan (5th, Young Magazine title), Momose Akira no Hatsukoi Hatan-chu. (6th), Gokurakugai (7th), Shinobigoto (8th), Kaiten no Albus (12th), Imouto wa Shitteiru (13th, Young Magazine title), and Silver Mountain (15th).

Web Manga Category: Thank You Pitch Crowned Victor, Jump+ Titles Demonstrate Strength

Thank You Pitch claimed victory in the web manga category. Many readers expressed "agreement" with its win, with comments like "That one's insane lol." Other notable entries included Genkai OL Kirigiri Giriko at 8th place, and Eiyuu Kikan and Host to Shachiku both tying for 20th. Authors conveyed their gratitude for the votes and their aspirations for the future.

In this year's web manga category, titles from Shueisha's web manga service "Jump+" showed an overwhelming presence. With 9 out of 20 winning entries originating from Jump+, surprised comments emerged, such as "What's amazing is that it's all free! How do they monetize it, I wonder?!" drawing attention to its business model.

Diverse Works Rank, Reflecting the Broadening 'Next Big Manga' Scene

Despite the theme of "next big manga," the results saw a diverse range of works recognized, including those with existing passionate fanbases and even series that regrettably concluded their serialization. This suggests a growing trend among readers to support not only works with "next big hit" potential but also those they simply find "interesting."

To commemorate the awards, Shogakukan's manga app "Sunday Webry" is holding a limited-time free release campaign for several winning titles, including Ryuuokuri no Isagi (Web Manga 12th), Tonari no Seki no Yatsu ga Souiu Me de Mitekuru (Web Manga 18th), COSMOS (Print Manga 2nd), Utsuranai N desu (Print Manga 4th), Momose Akira no Hatsukoi Hatan-chu. (Print Manga 6th), Kaiten no Albus (Print Manga 12th), and Silver Mountain (Print Manga 15th), fostering new encounters with readers.

The "Next Manga Award 2025" once again highlighted new talent and popularity in the manga industry. All eyes are now on how these works, carrying the weight of readers' expectations, will shape the future entertainment scene.

The Context

The "Next Manga Award" (次にくるマンガ大賞, Tsugi ni Kuru Manga Taisho) is an annual Japanese award co-sponsored by Kadokawa's Da Vinci magazine and Dwango's Nico Nico Seiga web service. Its primary goal is to discover and promote new or ongoing manga series that are expected to become major hits (the "next big thing") in the Japanese manga industry. The award is divided into two main categories: "Print Manga" (コミックス部門, Comics-bumon) for traditionally published physical volumes, and "Web Manga" (Webマンガ部門, Web Manga-bumon) for series primarily published online. Winners are determined through public voting, making it a significant indicator of emerging trends and reader preferences in the dynamic world of Japanese comics.

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