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Shonen Jump+ has launched a new manga competition titled the “Bad Guy Manga Award,” aiming to find works that feature attractive and engaging villains.
The competition focuses on characters described as attractive bad characters, which means villains who may be ruthless or dangerous but also possesses traits that make them appearing or unforgettable.
In addition with the award launch, Jump Rookie! has published interviews with five manga creators:
- Naoya Matsumoto (Kaiju No. 8) shared that Kaiju No. 9 was inspired by the unpredictability of the COVID-19 virus, and he is meant to feel more like a natural disaster than a traditional villain.
- Yuji Kaku (Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku) said that compelling villains must have a consistent internal logic or belief system, rather than being generically “evil.”
- Takahiro (Chained Soldier) explained how the Shikoku was influenced by mythology and designed with unique traits, including cruelty and charm, in order to stand out among other visually strong characters.
- Tohru Kuramori (Century) focused on making his antagonist Arcos strategic and intelligent, so that his whose presence enhances the protagonist’s growth.
- Kuraku Ichikawa (Drama Queen) intentionally exaggerated the bad qualities of his character Nomamoto to the point that they became oddly satisfying and memorable.
This project follows a series of 10th anniversary projects by Shonen Jump+, including an anime adaptation project for one-shot manga in collaboration with studios WIT Studio, Production I.G, and CONTRAIL, led by production company JOEN. The platform has put a large focus on one-shots, with more than 2,000 one-shot titles published to date and over 200 released annually.
Source: Comic Natalie
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