The final results of the 9th Kakuyomu Web Novel Contest, Japan's largest novel contest hosted by KADOKAWA, have been announced!

The Kakuyomu Web Novel Contest is a novel contest in which winning works are determined through a two-stage process: a reader vote and a joint judging process by KADOKAWA's 41 novel and comic editorial departments and video planning and production division.

For the 9th competition, submissions were accepted from December 1, 2023 to February 1, 2024, with readers selecting the winners until February 8, 2024. Of the submissions, 12,309 were in the feature-length category and 16,646 in the short story category. The grand prize winner will receive a prize of 1 million yen, and the submitted work will be published as a book. Special prize winners will work with the editorial department to prepare for publication as a book.

The next “10th Kakuyomu Web Novel Contest” has also been scheduled to be held, and application guidelines are scheduled to be published on the site around autumn 2024.

■ 9th Kakuyomu Web Novel Contest Final Selection Results Announcement Page

• Results of the 9th Kakuyomu Web Novel Contest

◆Grand Prize (7 works)
・Otherworldly Fantasy Category
“My best friend got kicked out of the national election party, so I decided to leave too.”

Author: Kosuke Ugai

・Modern Fantasy Category
“The 'Swordless' Old Man Has Actually Beaten the Last Dungeon”

Author: Suematsu Tomo

・Romance category
“Sir, let's act in a businesslike manner! ~ Countess Anastasia, who grew up in the downtown area, won't give up her own way ~”

Author: Hungry Cuckoo Clock

・Romantic Comedy (Light Novel) Category
“I'm just a mob priest, but I realized that this world is a girls' game, so I'm going to train the heroine.”

Author: Léonard D.

・Light Literature Category

“The Amber Knight Pledges His Love to the Saint's Left Hand”

Author: Furu Sasai

・Horror Category
“Re:Re:Re:Re: Plot idea for a horror novel”

Author: Rinto

・Entertainment General Category

“A Galaxy Wanderer's Journey for Two – While we were incarcerated in a space prison, the Earth was destroyed.”

Author: Task Eiori

Special Awards: 59 works

ComicWalker Manga Award: 19 works

Kakuyomu Pro Writer Category Related Awards: 3 works

Kakuyomucon Readers' Festival Related Awards: 9 works, 8 users

Special Jury Award: 21 works
Film/Video Adaptation Award Honorable Mention: 2 works

Short Film Award: 4 works

Enjoe Toh Award: 1 work

Special Short Film Award: 14 works

LScomic Encouragement Award: 1 work

Most Readers' Award: 2 works

Reader Development Award: 2 works

• Kakuyomu Web Novel Contest Overview

The Kakuyomu Web Novel Contest is an all-genre novel contest established to spark a new trend in the world of web novels. Among the submitted works, works that receive high support from readers will be nominated for the final selection. The final selection will be made by a joint judging committee of KADOKAWA's novel and comic editorial departments to determine the best works.

• What is “Kakuyomu”?

“Kakuyomu” is a new web novel site for all people who love stories, where anyone can write stories in their own style, read stories, and share their favorite stories with others. It supports creative activities in various forms, such as holding various contests, including the “Kakuyomu Web Novel Contest,” where the grand prize winner can get the right to publish a story, and allowing the submission of derivative works of popular works from both inside and outside KADOKAWA.

• Related information

■9th Kakuyomu Web Novel Contest Final Selection Results Announcement Page:

■Kakuyomu Web Novel Short Story Award 2023 Final Selection Results Announcement Page:
contests/kakuyomu_web_short_2023

■ Web novel site “Kakuyomu”:

■“Kakuyomu” Official X (Twitter):