KADOKAWA has officially announced a new global initiative to find the next blockbuster isekai story, in collaboration with MyAnimeList and Honeyfeed. With a grand prize of 5,000 dollars and a shot at publication in Japan, the 2025 writing contest aims to spotlight international light novel talent that can rival major hits like Sword Art Online, Re:ZERO, and Mushoku Tensei.
Aspiring writers from around the world can submit their stories in English, focusing on the classic isekai theme of protagonists transported or reincarnated into game like fantasy worlds. The contest will be held on Honeyfeed, a platform operated by qdopp Inc., and is open for entries from July 7 to September 29, 2025. The announcement of winners is scheduled for February 9, 2026, following a thorough judging process and public voting phase.
The contest is part of KADOKAWA’s larger Global User Generated Content Publishing Project, a strategy to discover and cultivate new voices from outside Japan. Winning entries will receive professional development from seasoned editors and authors, including a dedicated KADOKAWA editor and a well known Japanese light novel writer. Their stories will also be translated by experts to retain the emotional and stylistic depth of the original light novel genre. English digital publication is also on the table, expanding the reach of these new titles.
Three winners will be selected in total. While one will receive the grand prize of 5,000 dollars, two others will earn 3,000 dollars each. If no single story is chosen for the grand prize, up to three entries may be awarded the second tier prize. In all cases, the winning authors will be given opportunities to further polish their manuscripts in collaboration with The Hivemind Literary Agency.
Aneko Yusagi, the creator of The Rising of the Shield Hero, will serve as a guest judge and will provide feedback to the winners. His involvement adds a layer of prestige to the contest and raises the stakes for participants aiming to break into the Japanese light novel scene.
Satoshi Arima, Editor in Chief of MF Books, emphasized that overseas platforms have become valuable ecosystems for discovering new content creators with global appeal. He sees this contest as the beginning of a much larger effort by KADOKAWA to integrate international talent into Japan’s thriving light novel and anime ecosystem.
Further plans under KADOKAWA’s Global Business Acceleration Program include similar contests in Traditional Chinese on the KadoKado platform and collaborative projects with M12 Media’s JNC Original Light Novel Contest.
This is more than just a writing contest. It is a rare doorway into one of the most competitive and creative markets in the world, inviting writers to dream globally and publish locally in Japan.
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