Twin Engine and Straight Edge have officially announced the winners of their “Anime de Sekai e! Shōsetsu Taishō” (Anime to the World! Novel Prize), also known as the “Aniseka Novel Award.” This literary contest, designed to discover new talent and facilitate anime adaptations, received over 6,000 submissions.
Grand Prize Winner
The coveted grand prize was awarded to Puri for their story, “Watashi no Ofuru de Waruin dakedo” to Okaa-sama (Heroine) ni Torimaki o Oshitsukerare, Totsuida Henkyō demo Yome Atsukai Saremasen ga, Okage de Jiyū ni Ikiraremasu! The title translates to “My Mother (the Heroine) Married Me Away Like Second-Hand Goods to One of Her Followers, But I’m Not Treated Like a New Bride in the Remote Region I Moved to, and Now I Get to Live Freely!”
As the grand prize winner, Puri’s work is guaranteed a novel publication and an anime adaptation. Twin Engine and Straight Edge will also consider developing the story into a manga and a video game. In addition, Puri will receive a prize of up to 1 million yen (approximately US$7,010).
Special Prize Winners
Two stories were recognized with the special prize:
- Nanase Natsume’s Dungeon Sumikko Gurashi ~Jitsuryoku Mujikaku-kei Haishinsha o Seken wa Hisshi de Sagashidasu. Hayaku Dungeon kara Detekite!? (Living in a Nook of the Dungeon ~The World Desperately Looks for a Streamer Who Doesn’t Know Their Own Strength. Hurry Up and Get Out of the Dungeon?!)
- Aoi Miyazaki’s Bibō no Shōnen no Katei Kyōshi o Shiteitara Ikeoji Kōshaku ni Propose Saretan desu ga? (I Became the Home Tutor of a Handsome Boy and Got a Marriage Proposal From a Handsome Middle-Aged Marquis?)
These special prize winners will each receive 30,000 yen (approximately US$208).
Contest Details and Judges
The “Anime de Sekai e! Shōsetsu Taishō” opened for submissions on September 6, 2024, and accepted entries until December 5, 2024. The contest welcomed both professional and amateur writers, with no genre restrictions, emphasizing that “anything goes as long as it is interesting.” Submissions were required to be in Japanese and have a minimum of 30,000 characters.
A total of 16 animation studios participated as judges for the award, underscoring the contest’s focus on anime adaptation potential. These studios included:
- ZEXCS
- Wit Studio
- Studio Colorido
- team Yamahitsuji
- Studio NuT
- Geno Studio
- studio daisy
- Peakys
- Studio Kafka
- BUG FILMS
- Scooter Films
- OUTLINE
- Team OneOne
- NAGOMI
- Crew-Cell
- EOTA
This initiative by Twin Engine, an animation planning and production company, and Straight Edge, an IP production and writer management company, aims to identify outstanding talent and facilitate the realization of their works as anime and other multimedia projects.
