Global Search for the Next Isekai Hit Begins July 7: “MyAnimeList x Honeyfeed Writing Contest 2025

Comment From Satoshi Arima, Project Manager and Editor in Chief of MF BOOKS

In recent years, Japanese anime has seen a surge in global popularity. Many of these popular anime titles originate from light novels. At KADOKAWA, we are constantly seeking new talent to create the next big hit. Amid this trend, an increasing number of stories styled after Japanese light novels are being posted on overseas novel submission platforms. These platforms are emerging as hubs for content and creators with the potential to achieve widespread success not only in Japan but around the world.

In response to this global trend, KADOKAWA has launched the Global UGC Publishing Project as part of its Global Business Acceleration Program, which supports new business ventures targeting international markets. This project aims to discover global talent through overseas novel platforms and bring “internationally-born” light novels to audiences both in Japan and worldwide.

The MyAnimeList x Honeyfeed Writing Contest 2025 – THE ISEKAI presented by KADOKAWA marks the first step in this initiative. Moving forward, the project will expand through initiatives such as a Traditional Chinese writing contest hosted on KadoKado – the novel serialization platform operated by KADOKAWA TAIWAN CORPORATION – as well as the publication of selected winning titles from the JNC Original Light Novel Contest organized by M12 Media LLC.

Contest Information

Entry fee: Free
Writing platform: Honeyfeed
Voting platform: MyAnimeList
Novel entry period: July 7 to September 29, 2025
Judges voting period: September 30 to November 16, 2025
Public voting period (Finals): November 17 to December 15, 2025
Winners announced: February 9, 2026

Prizes

Grand Prize — $5,000 USD
Winners: 1
Your novel will be scheduled for publication by KADOKAWA in Japan as a light novel, subject to KADOKAWA’s final approval.
Important: The Grand Prize may not be awarded if no submission meets the standards for publication.

Contest Winners Prize — $3,000 USD
Winners: 2 winners; or 3 if no Grand Prize is selected
You might be offered publication of your novel in Japanese by KADOKAWA in Japan as a light novel.
For complete contest details, submission guidelines, and updates, visit mhwc.myanimelist.net/202507.

About KADOKAWA CORPORATION

KADOKAWA Group, a comprehensive entertainment company, develops a wide range of businesses such as Publication, Animation, Film, Gaming, Web services, and Education/EdTech. We discover talent globally, create diverse IP (Intellectual property), and deliver it through various media. We maximize the value of IP under our strategy “Global Media Mix with Technology” which refers to global rollouts of created IP by utilizing technology. Please visit group.kadokawa.co.jp/global,

About Honeyfeed

Honeyfeed is a leading writing platform that empowers authors to create, share, and engage with their original stories. With a vibrant community of readers and writers, Honeyfeed provides an immersive space for storytelling across various genres, including anime and manga-inspired narratives. For more about Honeyfeed, please visit honeyfeed.fm.

About MyAnimeList (MAL)

MyAnimeList is one of the world’s largest communities and databases for Japanese anime and manga, with 16 million registered members from 240 countries and regions worldwide. An indispensable site for tracking anime and manga progress, it holds over 1.2 billion records of viewing and reading big data. Founded in 2004, MyAnimeList has become a crucial source of information for overseas fans, especially among Generation Z in North America. For more about MyAnimeList, please visit myanimelist.net.