Deadline: October 20, 2026
4th ASIA IP CONTEST in TOKYO 2026
Organizer
Japan-China Anime & Game Industry Federation (General Incorporated Association) — main organizer; co-organized by Asia Pacific Tourism Co., Ltd., AniChina Co., Ltd., and Potato House Creative LLC
Location
Asia (open to creators from Asian countries and regions; award ceremony and exhibition held in Tokyo, Japan)
- Submission Period: August 1 – October 20, 2026
- Entry Briefing Session: August 28, 2026 (Tokyo Multicultural Hall + online simulcast, free to attend)
- Online Exhibition: From October 25, 2026 (year-round)
- Professional Judging: October 26 – November 9, 2026
- Results Announcement & Awards Ceremony: November 20, 2026
- Tokyo Venue Exhibition: November 20–23, 2026 (Tokyo Multicultural Hall, Akasaka, Tokyo)
- Original Character Design: designs centered on original characters, presenting appearance, personality, settings, and visual characteristics
- IP Illustration: illustrations featuring original characters with character settings, story background, or worldview
- No prescribed theme; both hand-drawn and digital artwork accepted
- One entry per submission; the same work may not be submitted across multiple divisions
- Open to original creators from Asian countries and regions
- Two divisions:
- Rookie Division (新人部門): students and early-career creators
- Professional Division (プロ部門): creators with commercial activity records
- Online registration via official website only; no mailed submissions; entry fee payable in Japanese yen
- Professional Division: ¥10,000 per entry
- Rookie Division: ¥5,000 per entry
Prizes/Awards
Total prize pool of ¥1,000,000:
- Professional Division: Gold Prize ×1 ¥300,000; Silver Prize ×2 ¥100,000 each; Bronze Prize ×3 ¥50,000 each (total ¥650,000)
- Rookie Division: Gold Prize ×1 ¥100,000; Silver Prize ×2 ¥50,000 each; Bronze Prize ×3 ¥30,000 each (total ¥290,000)
- Special Awards: Best Idea Award ×1 ¥20,000; Judges' Special Award ×1 ¥20,000; Popularity Award ×1 ¥20,000 (total ¥60,000)
- OMAKE Award: all works are eligible; selected works receive the right to gachapon (capsule toy) commercialization (provided by Saito Planning)
- All participants receive a digital participation certificate; qualifying works are shown on the official online platform
- Winners and selected entrants receive prize money and official certificates; works exhibited at the Tokyo Multicultural Hall
- Outstanding works may receive official media coverage and magazine publication
- Professional Division selected entrants receive additional support: exhibition support at Tokyo Big Sight fairs (Design Festa, Content Tokyo, Gift Show) and Chinese exhibitions, creator interviews, company visits, gallery partnerships, MGC café collaborations; the Professional Division Gold Prize winner is invited to serve as a judge the following year
Core Introduction
The 4th ASIA IP CONTEST in TOKYO 2026, hosted by the Japan-China Anime & Game Industry Federation, opened for submissions on August 1, 2026, with the tagline "Let the world see you through creativity." The competition invites original creators from across Asia to submit original character designs and IP illustrations, with a total prize pool of ¥1,000,000, providing a platform for exhibition, exchange, and future development of Asian original characters. First launched in 2023, the contest has run annual calls for entries, professional judging, online exhibitions, and Tokyo venue showcases. The 2026 jury comprises 11 professionals from Japan, China, South Korea, and Thailand, including: Mitsugu Sekiguchi (former Sanrio designer, Executive Committee Chair), Kazuo Rikukawa (President of Character Databank), Jin Cheng (Director of China Artists Association / Guangdong Animation Artists Association), Gu Ziyi/Jianguo (animation director), Taebong Cho (Chair of Korea Cultural Content Licensing Association), Natthapong Rattanachoksirikul (Thai character designer, Greenie & Elfie), Katsuhiko Onoo (Representative Director of Japan Gacha-Gacha Association), Yogenme (Assistant Professor at Tokyo Polytechnic University), Frank Yokoyama (Creative Director), So Takiguchi (freelance illustrator), and Nigoones (Senior IP Artist from Shenzhen, 2025 OMAKE Award winner). All entries are eligible for the OMAKE Award, which grants gachapon commercialization rights; the Professional Division Gold Prize winner is invited to judge the following year's competition.
