OFFICIAL RULES

PixAI Manga Contest Official Rules

This page is the only official source of rules for the PixAI Manga Contest. Any clarifications or updates will be posted here and communicated to affected participants.

v0.3Updated 2026-09-28

01Contest Overview

PixAI Manga Contest is a one-shot manga contest for AI manga creators. Through an open call and a multi-stage selection process, we're looking for creators who can use Tsubaki.3 as their main tool to create complete, original manga.

01Push the limits of AI mangaExplore storytelling, paneling, character consistency, and the possibilities of AI-powered manga through a 16–48 page one-shot.

02Discover outstanding creatorsWe're looking for creators with strong manga skills, AI workflow expertise, and the ability to create consistently.

03A step toward commercial creationWe'll give outstanding creators the stage to make their commercial debut, with the planning and creation support needed for commercial manga.

02Tsubaki.3 usage rules

Tsubaki.3All entries must be created with Tsubaki.3 as the main creative tool.

OKAny workflow is welcome, for example:

Full-page generation with Tsubaki.3
Generating panels separately and assembling them
Inpaint / i2i / local edits
Manual retouching and paint-overs
Fixes or post-processing with other AI models
Finishing in external software such as Clip Studio Paint or Photoshop

We don't judge whether your work was made with AI alone. We look at the quality of the finished manga and how well you actually use Tsubaki.3.

NGNot allowed:

Finishing the artwork by hand or with external tools, then only lightly processing it with Tsubaki.3
Making the work mainly with other generative models and using Tsubaki.3 only for local fixes
Drawing storyboards, sketches, line art, or finished pages by hand, then feeding them into i2i for Tsubaki.3 to redraw

RequiredThe main visual content of your entry must be based on Tsubaki.3 generations.

In shortGenerating with Tsubaki.3 first and then refining the results elsewhere is OK. Drawing the manga elsewhere first and then regenerating it with Tsubaki.3 is not.

Generation history verification

When we contact prize candidates, we may ask you to provide information such as the PixAI generated image IDs (Generation ID) of the original images used in your entry.

This is mainly to confirm that:

the images were generated during the creation period
the main visual content of your entry was generated with Tsubaki.3

If needed, we may also ask for the original generated images or more details about your creative process.

If the information you provide shows that your entry does not meet the eligibility requirements, it may be disqualified from receiving a prize.

03Entry Guidelines

Format: Original one-shot manga: a complete, self-contained story that can be read on its own.
Language: 日本語 / English only
Page count: 16–48 interior pages, not including the cover.
Aspect ratio: 1:1.414 (B5)
Resolution: XL (recommended: set PixAI Custom Resolution to 1008 × 1424)
Color / B&W: Either is fine, but please keep it broadly consistent throughout your entry.
Reading direction: Left-to-right, right-to-left, or vertical scroll are all fine. Please keep it consistent within your entry.
Theme: No restrictions in principle, as long as the content follows the guidelines.
New work: As a rule, your contest entry must be new work created specifically for this contest. Past work is used only for application screening.

04Eligibility & Application

This contest is open to everyone. When applying, please provide the following:

PixAI account / User ID
Creator name / handle
Email (official contact channel)
Primary language you create in
Past manga or portfolio URLBased on your past work, we'll decide whether you can go straight to the Creation Period or need to submit a 4–8 page manga to show your skills.
Agreement to the guidelines, entry display, and the necessary rights declarations

Screening results and notices during the creation period will be sent individually by email. The list of participants will not be made public. Entries that participants make public will be added to the Gallery after review by the organizers and will be eligible for reader voting.

05Contest Timeline

STEP 1EntryApply10.22 – 11.05
STEP 2ScreeningScreening11.06 – 11.18
STEP 3CompetitionCreation Period11.20 – 12.18
STEP 4JudgingFinal Judging12.19 – 12.25
STEP 5WinnersWinners12.25

Apply · 10.22 – 11.05 23:59 JSTSubmit your basic information along with your past manga or portfolio.

Screening · 11.06 – 11.18We'll review the past work and portfolio you submitted with your application to assess your manga skills. During screening, some applicants may be asked to submit a 4–8 page manga for additional review. Applicants selected for additional review will be notified by email by 11/12. The submission deadline is 11.18 23:59 (JST). Applicants must cover the credits needed for additional review themselves. Final screening results will be sent to each applicant by email by 11/20.

Creation Period · 11.20 15:00 – 12.18 23:59 JST · 16–48 pagesEveryone who passes screening will be notified by email on 11/20, and all participants will start creating their 16–48 page original one-shot together at 15:00 JST that day. Public entries will be eligible for reader voting (see "Reader Voting").

11.20 · CREATION SUPPORT2,000 Tsubaki.3 Generation Cards

Creative support for everyone who passes screeningOn the morning of 11/20, everyone who passes screening will receive 2,000 Tsubaki.3 Generation Cards to create their contest entry. This is a one-time grant. Participants must cover any shortfall themselves, and no additional cards will be issued.

Reusing your additional review work: You can carry over the concept, characters, story, and ideas from your 4–8 page additional review manuscript, but the main Tsubaki.3 images in your contest entry must be generated after the creation period starts on 11/20 at 15:00 JST. Reuse ideas, not finished pages.

06Schedule

All times are in Japan Standard Time (JST, UTC+9)

10.22 – 11.05 23:59 JSTAPPLICATIONApplication period · Contest launch
NOW
11.06 – 11.18SCREENINGScreening · Additional review for some applicants
11.20 AM JSTCREDIT2,000 Tsubaki.3 Generation Cards granted to everyone who passed screening
11.20 15:00 – 12.18 23:59 JSTCREATION PERIODCreate a 16–48 page original one-shot
12.19 – 12.25JUDGINGFinal judging
12.25 FRIWINNERS ANNOUNCEDWinners announced

07How to Submit

You'll apply and turn in your work for every period on the Submission page using your PixAI account. Each account can apply only once. The tab for each stage will open according to the schedule.

APPLICATIONApply10.22 – 11.05 23:59 JST

Who should submit: Every creator who wants to participate
Where to submit: "Application" tab
What to submit: Creator name, email, existing manga / portfolio URL, primary language you create in

You can edit your entry from "My Application" until the deadline

ADDITIONAL REVIEWAdditional review11.06 – 11.18 23:59 JST

Who should submit: Only applicants who received an additional review invitation by email by 11/12
Where to submit: "Additional review" tab
What to submit: Cover, title, page count (4–8 pages), manuscript link (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.), notes (optional)

Set the manuscript link to "Anyone with the link can view" and keep it accessible until judging ends
You can resubmit until the deadline. Your last submission will be reviewed.
Additional review works will not be shown in the Gallery. Results will be sent by email on 11/20

ENTRY SUBMISSIONEntry submission11.20 15:00 – 12.18 23:59 JST

Who should submit: Participants who passed screening
Where to submit: "Entry submission" tab
What to submit: Cover, title, page count (16–48 pages), manuscript link (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.), language of the entry, notes (optional)

Your official entry will be judged based on the manuscript link. Set it to "Anyone with the link can view".
Each participant can submit only one entry
To replace it, delete your current entry first. Deleting it will clear all the votes it has received.

GALLERYPublic page · Reader Voting11.20 15:00 – 12.25 11:59 JST

Who should submit: Participants who submitted a contest entry (optional)
Where to submit: Public page URL on the "Entry submission" tab
What to submit: The URL of the page where you published your entry on X, Pixiv, etc. (please add #PixAIMangaContest)

Used for Gallery display and reader voting, separate from your official manuscript link
Your entry appears in the Gallery as soon as you add its public page URL. You can also add it later, even after the creation period ends.
Unpublished entries are not eligible for the Reader's Choice Prize, but this does not affect the judges' prizes
The organizers may hide or remove entries that break the guidelines

Results, submission history, and next steps for each period can be found in "My Application" on the submission page. Email is the official notification channel.Go to submission page

08Judging criteria

CHARACTERSCharacter appealDesign, recognizability, personality, and how memorable the characters are.

STORYStoryOne-shot structure, pacing, readability, emotion and conflict, and the ending.

VISUAL EXPRESSIONVisual expressionPaneling, composition, staging, level of finish, and consistency of characters and backgrounds.

USE OF TSUBAKI.3Use of Tsubaki.3How well you use Tsubaki.3 to solve problems in manga creation, regardless of whether your workflow is "pure AI."

Judging is holistic. These four criteria are the main points of reference, but rankings are not decided by simply adding up scores.

09Prizes

GOLD AWARD¥500,000

Grand Prize · 1 winner (planned)¥500,000 + 10,000,000 credits + a guaranteed commercial deal. The specific project and terms will be agreed upon separately in a contract.

SILVER PRIZE¥100,000Silver Prize · 3 winners¥100,000 + 5,000,000 credits + an opportunity for commercial creation.

READER'S CHOICE¥100,000Reader's Choice Prize · 1 winner¥100,000 + 5,000,000 credits. Decided by PixAI user votes. It can be won together with a judges' prize.Voting rules →

RISING STAR PRIZERising Star Prize2,000,000 credits · Number of winners TBDAwarded to creators with unique talent or concepts that can't be measured by level of finish alone.

Winning entries will be featured on this page and in the Manga Showcase, and promoted through PixAI's social media and PR.
We'll give outstanding creators the chance to make their commercial debut, with the planning and creation support needed for commercial manga.

10Reader Voting

The Reader's Choice Prize is decided by PixAI user votes, separately from the Grand, Silver, and Rising Star Prizes selected by the judges. Entries are read on each creator's own public page, while voting takes place on the contest page.

Voting period: 11.20 15:00 – 12.25 11:59 JST
Who can vote: Anyone logged in to a PixAI account that has been registered for at least 7 days. Participants can vote too.
Votes: Each PixAI account gets only one vote for the entire contest. You can’t vote once per entry or once per day.
Change your vote: You can change your vote anytime before the deadline. Your final choice at the deadline is the one that counts.
What you can vote for: Entries published in the Gallery. An entry appears in the Gallery as soon as its public page URL is added. The organizers may hide or remove entries that break the rules, and hidden entries will be removed from the rankings. If an entry is removed or set to private, votes cast for it become invalid. While voting is still open, users who voted for it can vote for another entry instead.
Live vote counts: Vote counts for each entry are shown live during voting, and the Gallery can be sorted by votes. Final results will be announced along with the winners on 12.25.
Prize: The entry with the most valid votes wins the Reader's Choice Prize: ¥100,000 + 5,000,000 credits. It can be won together with a judges' prize.
Invalid votes: Irregular votes, such as votes from multiple accounts on the same IP, will be invalidated and excluded from the count. The accounts involved may be suspended.

For participants

Please add the official hashtag when you publish your entry on X, Pixiv, or similar platforms.
Add the public URL (X or Pixiv only) on the "Entry submission" tab, and your entry will appear in the Gallery right away.
Each person can submit only one entry. To replace it, you must delete your current entry first. This will clear all the votes it has received, and users who voted for it can vote for another entry instead.
The earlier you publish, the more time you'll have to collect votes. Entries published after the creation period ends (12.18 23:59) can still be added to the Gallery before voting closes.
Publishing is optional. Entries not shown in the Gallery are not eligible for the Reader's Choice Prize, but this does not affect the judges' prizes.
Appearing in the Gallery does not count as your official submission. Please submit your contest entry separately as described in "How to Submit."

NGProhibited vote solicitation

If misuse of multiple accounts, automated voting, or any other manipulation of voting results is confirmed, the votes involved may be invalidated.
Asking for votes in exchange for money, credits, gifts, or other rewards
Anything else that undermines fair voting

Entries found to have solicited votes improperly may be excluded from the Reader's Choice Prize. In serious cases, this may also affect eligibility for other prizes. In the event of a tie, the judges will decide the winner.

11Originality, content & rights

Original works only. No derivative works. You may not use characters, worlds, or IP from existing works in your entry.
You must hold the necessary rights to all materials used in your entry.
No NSFW content. Entries must meet PixAI Contest’s public display standards. Other prohibited content is governed by PixAI's community guidelines.
The organizers may request Generation IDs, original generated images, or a description of your creative process to verify compliance with the Tsubaki.3 usage rules.
Serious violations, such as false declarations, improper tool use, rights issues, or intentional plagiarism, may result in disqualification or the withdrawal of a prize. Any replacement winners will be decided by the organizers based on the judging results.
Copyright and license: As a rule, copyright in your entry remains with you. By applying to this contest, you grant PixAI and the organizers a royalty-free, non-exclusive license to use your entry for running, judging, and promoting the contest, announcing results, and archiving event records. Such use includes displaying your entry on the contest site, the Gallery, and the Manga Showcase; featuring it on official social media, in press releases, and in other promotional media; and editing images as needed for these purposes, such as cropping, resizing, excerpting, or turning them into video. This license remains in effect after the contest ends. For any use beyond the scope above, such as translation, modification of the content, merchandising, publication, or commercial serialization, we will consult with you separately and enter into the necessary agreement.

12Official Contact

This page: The only official source of information: rules, schedule, FAQ, prizes, and final results.
Email: Official channel for individual notices: screening results, creation period notices, deadline reminders, prize results, and more.
Social media / PR: Event announcements, application reminders, and winning entry introductions.
Discord: A place for questions and discussion. Not an official notification channel.

13FAQ

QCan I reuse my 4–8 page additional review manuscript in my contest entry?

You can carry over the concept, characters, story, and ideas, but the main Tsubaki.3 images in your contest entry must be generated after the Creation Period starts on 11/20 at 15:00 JST. Reuse ideas, not finished pages.

QHow will I find out the results?

All results will be sent individually to the email address you provided when applying. The list of participants will not be made public.

QCan I edit with Photoshop or other AI models?

Yes. Inpaint, i2i, paint-overs, fixes with other AI models, and finishing in external software are all allowed. However, the main visuals must be based on Tsubaki.3 generations. You can't draw the manga elsewhere and have Tsubaki.3 redraw it.

QCan I submit a work I've made before?

You can submit past work as your portfolio for application screening. As a rule, your contest entry must be new work created specifically for this contest.

QDoes the cover count toward the page count?

No. Your entry must have 16–48 interior pages, not including the cover.

QWho owns the copyright?

In principle, the creator does. PixAI will only display and promote entries on a non-exclusive basis for contest-related purposes. Commercial use will be covered by a separate contract.