News: Shonen Jump+ Collaborates with Netflix and Toho to Launch Storyboarding App with Contests

Shueisha‘s Shonen Jump+ service launched the app version of its World Maker storyboarding service in Japan on Wednesday, and is co-sponsoring contests with Netflix and TOHO. The app lets users (“even those who can’t draw”) create thumbnail layouts for manga or storyboards for animation, live-action shows, movies, and commercials.

Shonen Jump+ launched the earlier World Maker β (Beta) web service in August 2021. (The World Maker app is an updated version of that initial beta version.)

To create a manga’s draft thumbnails in the service, the user drafts the page layouts (or use the provided templates), adjusts and drops in the provided characters and other graphic elements, enters dialogue, adds effects, and then releases the final results.

The staff claims that the app can also machine-translate the thumbnails and storyboards into 17 languages including English, Chinese, Korean, and French. Users can then share the results online for others to follow and comment.

To commemorate the app’s launch, World Maker is holding the “World Maker Manga Contest” for thumbnails created with the app. The contest will accept applications from August 1 to October 1. The grand prize winner will get their manga drawn by Taishi Tsutsui (We Never Learn) for release on Shonen Jump+. The winner will also get a 500,000 yen (about US$3,580) cash prize.

Aside from the World Maker Manga Contest, Shonen Jump+ and Netflix will co-sponsor the World Maker Anime Contest, and Shonen Jump+ and TOHO will co-sponsor the World Maker Film Contest.

Sources: World Maker Twitter account and YouTube channel, Mainichi Shimbun’s Mantan Web