“Samwanhertsu” Takes First Place in the “Next Big Manga Awards 2026” Comic Book Category!

The winners of the “Next Big Manga Award 2026,” a user-participation manga award jointly organized by KADOKAWA and Dwango, were announced during a Niconico Live broadcast on September 16, 2026.

Now in its 12th year, the award received 7,952 entries. In the Comic Book category, first place went to E. Yamano’s “Samwan Hearts” took first place in the Comic Book category, while Daiyo Watanabe’s “Welcome Back, Horizon” was selected as the winner in the Web Manga category.

Overview of the “Next Big Manga Award 2026”

The 2026 winners of the “Next Big Manga Award,” a user-participation manga award jointly organized by KADOKAWA and Dwango, have been announced. Now in its 12th year, the contest received a total of 7,952 entries.

© KADOKAWA CORPORATION 2026 / © DWANGO Co., Ltd.

This award was established by the KADOKAWA Group in 2014. It accepts entries from readers for manga they believe will be “the next big thing,” and the Grand Prize winner is determined through a second round of voting among the nominated works selected from those entries. Past winners (Top 3) are inducted into the Hall of Fame and are excluded from eligibility for future years.

Winners of the “Next Big Manga Awards 2026” Comics Category

First place in the Comic Book Category went to E. Yamano’s “Samwanherts” with 51,868 points. Second place went to Sakane Toyobayashi’s “Futari Bus,” and third place went to Fujimaru’s “Resista!”

1st Place: “Samwan Heruts” by E. Yamano

2nd Place: “Futari Bus” by Sakane Toyobayashi

“Futari Bus” Award Commemorative Illustration

3rd Place: “Resista!” by Fujimaru

“Regista!” Award Commemorative Illustration

© KADOKAWA CORPORATION 2026 / © DWANGO Co., Ltd.

First-place winner Yamano Ei expressed her joy, saying, “I’m so happy! Thank you so much!!” She added, “It’s been five years since I first thought, ‘I want to draw a manga about radio!’ and with all the support I’ve received, I never imagined the day would come when I’d receive an award like this… Honestly, I’d love to visit each and every one of you who supported me to say thank you in person, but since that seems a bit difficult, I’d like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude. I hope you’ll continue to warmly follow Kurage and Mimei’s Radio Days!”

Second-place winner Sakane Toyobayashi wrote, “To everyone who voted, thank you so much! I came in second! Yay!” and added, “Thanks to everyone involved—from the editorial department and my assistants to everyone else—I’ve been able to produce work I’m satisfied with every week. That’s truly amazing. I’m so grateful. It excites me to think that ‘The Next One’ might be the catalyst for even more people to discover my work. I’ll continue to give it my all moving forward, so please stick with me!”

Mr. Fujimaru, who took third place, said, “Thank you very much for your votes. To be honest, I never imagined that *Resista!*, which is a rather low-key manga, would be honored with an award like this, so it still feels a bit like it’s happening to someone else.” He continued, “I imagine that everyone who voted must have felt some kind of connection with the story. When I think of that, my pen will naturally flow. I would be truly grateful if you’d continue to support the series and take your time watching over Hanada and the others’ journey.”

Winners of the Web Manga Category at the “Next Manga Grand Prix 2026”

First place in the Web Manga category went to Daio Watanabe’s *Welcome Back, Horizon* with 51,681 points. Second place went to Tomohiro Yagi’s *Hitonā*, and third place went to Sumu Kamiyama’s *Senpai Haimiya Is Scary and Cute*.

1st Place: “Welcome Back, Horizon” by Taio Watanabe

“Welcome Back, Horizon” Award Commemorative Illustration

2nd Place: “Hitona” by Tomohiro Yagi

“Hitona” Award Commemorative Illustration

3rd Place: “Senpai Haimiya Is Scary and Cute” by Sumu Kamiyama

“Senpai Haimiya Is Scary and Cute” Award Commemorative Illustration

© KADOKAWA CORPORATION 2026 / © DWANGO Co., Ltd.

First-place winner Taio Watanabe reflected, “I remember crying my eyes out the night the first chapter was released, realizing once again just how clumsy my manga was,” adding, “Still, because you all kept reading, the story of *Welcome Back, Horizon* continued, and receiving this award through the reader vote made me feel the warm encouragement from readers saying, ‘This is fun!’ . It made me truly happy to think that each and every one of you cast a vote.”

Tomohiro Yagi, who took second place, wrote, “Thank you so much for all your support,” adding, “It still doesn’t feel real that I’ve received such a major award for this work, which I started just to do whatever I wanted—but I’m incredibly happy nonetheless. While the work is full of flaws, I intend to see this story through to the very end for everyone who voted in the hope that ‘there will be a sequel.’”

Third-place winner Sumu Kamiyama stated, “Thank you so much for your votes!” She continued, “Every day, I feel deeply that this work exists thanks to all of you—the readers, as well as everyone involved in production and promotion. That’s why pushing myself isn’t a burden—it motivates me to work even harder! I’m dedicated to improving every day. I hope you’ll continue to support *Senpai Haimiya Is Scary and Cute*. I hope to walk alongside all of you as Senpai Haimiya’s once-gray days begin to take on color.”

Special Awards for the “Next Manga Grand Prix 2026”

In addition to the rankings, awards sponsored by special partners were also announced. The U-NEXT Award went to “Dig It” in the Comic Book category and “WITCHRIV” in the Web Manga category. The Nichirei Frozen Foods Award went to “Melody of the Boundary,” and the NicoNico Manga Award went to “The Plain-Looking Middle-Aged Man Was Actually a Hero.”

U-NEXT Award “Dig It” by Yoshida.

“Digit” Award Commemorative Illustration

U-NEXT Award: “WITCHRIV” by Kurī

“WITCHRIV” Award Commemorative Illustration

Nichirei Award for Frozen Foods: “Melody of the Boundary”

“Melody of the Boundary” Award Commemorative Illustration

Niconico Manga Award: “The Unassuming Middle-Aged Man Was Actually a Hero”

Commemorative illustration for the award for “The Unassuming Middle-Aged Man Was Actually a Hero”

© KADOKAWA CORPORATION 2026 / © DWANGO Co., Ltd.

For the four Special Prize-winning works, only commemorative, newly drawn illustrations are featured on the results announcement page; no written comments have been published. However, for the two U-NEXT Prize-winning works, the creators’ comments can be read in U-NEXT’s press release.

Yoshida, the creator of “Dig It,” expressed delight at winning the award and thanked the editors, assistants, and readers who helped bring the work to life, adding that he will continue to do his best so that readers can continue to enjoy his work. Hakuri, the creator of “WITCHRIV,” stated that she is very happy to receive the award because she is a frequent user of U-NEXT, and along with gratitude to those who supported them, and commented that they will use this award as encouragement to continue devoting their full efforts to creating new works.

“Next Big Manga Award 2026” Bookstore Fair

To celebrate the award, a bookstore fair will be held at participating bookstores nationwide. If you purchase the two first-place titles in each category, you’ll receive a special illustration card.

*The method of distributing the bonus items and the duration of the fair vary by store
*Bonus items will be distributed while supplies last
*No merchandise will be given away at digital bookstores

Frequently Asked Questions About the “Next Big Manga Award 2026”

What kind of award is the Next Big Manga Award?

A user-participation manga award established by the KADOKAWA Group in 2014. It accepts entries from readers for works they believe are “the next big thing,” and the Grand Prize winner is determined by a public vote among the nominated works selected from those entries. The 2026 event will mark its 12th edition.

Which works took first place in each category for 2026?

In the Comics category, the winner was “Samwan Heruts” by Ei Yamano with 51,868 points; in the Web Manga category, the winner was “Okaeri Shihōsen” by Taiyō Watanabe with 51,681 points. Both are published by Shueisha.

What kinds of special awards are there?

There are the U-NEXT Award, the Nichirei Frozen Foods Award, and the Niconico Manga Award. For 2026, the U-NEXT Award in the Comics Category went to “Dig It,” and in the Web Manga category, “WITCHRIV.”

Will there be a bookstore fair?

Yes, there will be. It will be held sequentially at participating bookstores nationwide starting September 17, 2026, and customers who purchase the “Samwan Helts” and “Welcome Back, Horizon.” Distribution methods and event periods vary by store.

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Please check the official website for details.
*Please note that the information in this article may be out of date. We apologize for the inconvenience, but please check the official website for the latest information.

© KADOKAWA CORPORATION 2026 / © DWANGO Co., Ltd.

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