Insights from Satoshi Arima, Project Supervisor and Editor-in-Chief at MF BOOKS
In recent years, Japanese anime has experienced a critically importent rise in global popularity. Many beloved anime series are adapted from light novels. At KADOKAWA,we are constantly on the lookout for emerging talent that could lead to our next major success story. In this context, an increasing number of stories inspired by Japanese light novels are being published on international submission platforms. These platforms have become vital hubs for content creators with potential for widespread acclaim not only in Japan but also worldwide.
In response to this global trend, KADOKAWA has initiated its Global UGC Publishing Project as part of its Global Business Acceleration program—designed to support new ventures targeting international markets. This initiative aims to discover global talent through overseas platforms and introduce “internationally-born” light novels to audiences both in Japan and beyond.
The MyAnimeList x Honeyfeed Writing Contest 2025 – THE ISEKAI represents a pivotal step within this initiative. Future expansions will include projects like an upcoming Chinese writing contest hosted on KadoKado—the innovative serialization platform run by KADOKAWA TAIWAN CORPORATION—as well as publishing selected winning entries from M12 Media LLC’s JNC Original Light Novel Contest.
Contest Overview
Entry Fee: Free
Writing Platform: Honeyfeed
Voting platform: MyAnimeList
Submission Period: July 7 – September 29, 2025
Judging Period: September 30 – November 16, 2025
Crowd Voting Period (Finals): November 17 – December 15, 2025
Award Declaration Date:
Awards
Main Prize — $5,000 USD
Winner: one individual.
The winning entry will be scheduled for publication by KADOKAWA in Japan as a light novel subject to final approval.
Note: The Main Prize may not be awarded if no submissions meet publication criteria.
Additional Winners Prize — $3,000 USD each
Winners: Two individuals; or three if no Main Prize is awarded.
Winning entries will also be considered for publication in Japanese by KADOKAWA.
For complete contest details including submission guidelines and updates visit mhwc.myanimelist.com/202507.
KADOKAWA CORPORATION Overview
KADOKAWA Corporation is a comprehensive entertainment company engaged across various sectors including publishing literature and manga; producing animation; creating films; developing video games; offering online services; and providing educational technology solutions (EdTech). We scout talent globally while managing diverse intellectual properties (IPs) across multiple media formats under our strategy “Global Media Mix with Talent,” which emphasizes worldwide distribution using advanced technology solutions. For more information visit community.kadokawa.co.jp/global.
An Introduction to Honeyfeed
honeyfeed.fm.
A Glimpse into MyAnimeList (MAL)
MyAnimeList stands out among leading communities dedicated solely to Japanese anime and manga enthusiasts globally—with over sixteen million registered users spanning two hundred forty countries! It serves as an essential resource tracking viewing habits while maintaining extensive databases containing over one point two billion records related specifically towards discovering new titles or monitoring progress made throughout different series since its inception back in two thousand four! Particularly popular among Generation Z fans residing within North America today! For additional information regarding MyAnimeList please check out myanimelist.com .