INTRODUCING MANGA PILOTS

The Manga Pilot airstrip and hangars are not yet servicable! Please check back soon for more details.

TOKYOPOP continues to lead the manga revolution with Manga Pilots, an exciting new stage in TOKYOPOP’s development program!

In this new program, promising manga creators are selected and hired by our editorial team to make a Manga Pilot—a 24-to-36-page short-form manga. TOKYOPOP then presents the Manga Pilot online for our community members to review, rate, and discuss.

TOKYOPOP will select which Manga Pilots continue their creative evolution with us based on a combination of user feedback, editorial judgment and market opportunity. The next level of development could be a second Pilot instalment—or a full original property deal. The nature of the property will indicate what it should first become—a manga graphic novel, a movie, a TV show, a game, a mobile manga, an iManga or any other medium.

The Manga Pilot program is not a competition. It's a proving ground that will give manga creators exposure to an enormous audience and help TOKYOPOP develop the next generation of manga superstars. And we want YOU be part of this process. Your positive reviews, for example, may very well catapult a pilot into the stratosphere!

Where Do I Read the Manga Pilots?

Only on www.TOKYOPOP.com! Once the Pilot page is up and running (TBA) you can log on to www.TOKYOPOP.com to review and rate pilots. For the Pilot Program to be a success, we need YOU to review and rate by logging on to www.TOKYOPOP.com and leaving your feedback.

Why Create Such Short Manga Stories?

TOKYOPOP is looking for creators who can deliver tight, punchy, well-paced Pilots that entertain and introduce a new property. The primary task of a Manga Pilot is to captivate its audience with characters, concepts and worlds. A Manga Pilot may be the first chapter of a planned graphic novel, but it doesn’t have to be. A self-contained side story or a short story may be a better way to introduce the property.

Who Are the Manga Pilot Creators?

A Manga Pilot is not only a launchpad for new creators, but also a platform for established artists and writers to efficiently test response to their ideas. We welcome all ideas, please check out the MANGA SUBMISSIONS page to learn more about what we want to see in a pitch.

What’s Next for a Successful Pilot?

TOKYOPOP will select which Manga Pilots continue their creative evolution based on a combination of user feedback, editorial judgment and market opportunity. The next level of development could be a second Pilot installment. After that, the possibilities are broad and may go far beyond the Pilot, and may involve the creation of a full graphic novel.

A successful Manga Pilot may also find its first major incarnation in one or more different media. The nature of the property will indicate what it should first become—a book, a movie, a TV show, a game, a mobile manga, an iManga or any other medium.

Most importantly, YOU are the ones making and reading our manga—and we want to know what YOU think. Your reviews will help shape the future of each and every manga pilot.