Job Description
Hello
I'm a content creator and author developing an original manga to be published in English (print and digital via Amazon KDP). The story takes place in modern Tokyo and focuses on character emotions, relationships, and personal growth rather than heavy action.
I'm looking for a manga/comic artist to collaborate with on the first volume. This is a creator-owned indie project (not a studio production). I hope to work closely together so the character expressions, pacing, and storytelling feel natural in a Japanese manga style.
The story process will be collaborative. I have the overall direction and will handle dialogue writing and final story decisions, but I would like the artist to also contribute ideas for character behavior, scene flow, and visual storytelling.
Artists familiar with anime/manga storytelling or interested in Japanese daily life settings are especially encouraged to apply.
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Story Direction (choose preferred style)
I am considering two possible story concepts and would like to know which you enjoy drawing more:
Option A — Slice of Life (Realistic)
A character moves to Tokyo and learns to navigate everyday situations such as work culture, friendships, social misunderstandings, and personal confidence.
Focus: expressions, emotional moments, and human interaction.
Option B — Light Urban Fantasy
A college student living in Tokyo secretly comes from a ninja family. At night she encounters shadow-like "demons" connected to people's emotional struggles (overwork, loneliness, stress). She helps resolve the situations rather than constant fighting.
Focus: character drama with occasional supernatural scenes (not a battle-heavy manga).
Both options are character-driven and not intended to be an action-heavy shonen series.
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Project Scope (First Volume)
• Approximately 40–50 pages total
• Black & white manga style
• Character design collaboration
• Panel layout and storytelling composition
• Clean line art + simple tones/shading
• Minimal or simple backgrounds are completely acceptable
• Moderate panel density (around 4–5 panels per page is fine)
We will begin with 2–3 paid test pages before committing to the full project.
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Budget
$500 total for the first volume
Payment will be divided into multiple milestones (page batches) so you are paid regularly throughout the project.
If the collaboration goes well, I hope to continue future volumes.
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Timeline
Target schedule is approximately 6–8 weeks. A steady weekly pace and communication are more important than speed — I prefer manageable progress rather than rushing.
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Requirements
• Experience drawing sequential manga/comic pages (not illustration-only portfolios)
• Ability to keep characters consistent across many pages
• Comfortable with collaboration and revisions
• Reliable communication
For publishing reasons, final pages must be original artwork (no AI-generated panels or AI line art in the final pages; references or mood boards are fine).
Pages should be prepared in right-to-left manga reading format.
Artist will be fully credited in the published book.
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Deliverables
• 300 DPI print-ready black & white pages
• Trim size: 6 × 9 inches with bleed
• File format: PNG or TIFF per page
• Source layered files: PSD or Clip Studio
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To Apply
Please include:
1.1–3 sequential manga/comic page samples
2.Your approximate pages-per-week pace
3.Which story option you prefer (Slice of Life or Urban Fantasy)
I'm hoping to find a friendly long-term collaborator rather than a one-time commission.
Thank you — I look forward to seeing your work
— Paul
Contract duration of less than 1 month. with 30 hours per week.
Mandatory skills: Adobe Photoshop, Illustration, Character Design, Digital Art, Game Design, 2D Design, Graphic Design, Anime, Manga, Cartoon Style, Comics, Cartoon Art, Drawing