Title: BEFORE THE STITCHES TEAR (縫い目が裂ける前に / Nuime ga Sakeru Mae ni)
Subtitle: Ira: Sin of Wrath
Format: 24-Page Manga One-Shot (Complete Pilot Chapter)
Genre: Dark Fantasy / Seinen / Psychological Action (Vibe: Tokyo Ghoul x Jujutsu Kaisen x Bleach)
Target Contest: Manga Plus Creators by Shueisha (Monthly cash prizes: Gold ~1,000,000 JPY / Silver ~300,000 JPY + official publication and Shonen Jump editor review)
Compensation: 60% (Artist) / 40% (Writer) split of all contest prize money and future earnings (I fully respect that drawing 24 pages is ~150+ hours of hard work).
The Hook and Logline: A traumatized high schooler who suppressed his inner rage plummets from a Tokyo apartment, screaming his raw desire to live in his final moments. Instead of death, he awakens nailed with rusted spikes to a wooden cross in a brutal dark fantasy dungeon—his soul forced into the battered body of an executed vessel for "Ira", the ancient Sin of Wrath.
Rescued by Satella, a renegade witch who becomes his first real friend, he is overwhelmed, weeping, and terrified. But when their escape is cut short by the Hunter Commander—a chilling, aristocratic master tactician in blackened armor—and Satella is brutally skewered before his eyes, the boy's panic detonates into volcanic fury. Awakening a boiling black liquid that solidifies into a terrifying, stitched leather mask, he turns his unbridled wrath into an unbreakable shield for the only person who ever showed him warmth.
Key Characters to Draw:
- Issei Hazama (16–17 y.o., 172 cm): Not a fearless action hero. An ordinary, terrified Tokyo kid waking up in a bleeding, alien body. He clings to Satella like a lifeline until her near-death unleashes his suppressed monster.
- Satella (20–25 y.o., 180 cm): A tall, sharp-witted rogue witch in a dark trench coat and heels. Her touch and voice are the only anchor capable of pulling Issei back from Ira's bloodthirsty frenzy.
- The Lord Commander: Inspired visually by Shalba Beelzebub (DxD). A cold, elegant nobleman in ornate blackened-gold filigree armor with a fur collar. He fights with surgical precision using a runic longblade, treating combat like a leisurely chess match.
- The Mask (Ira - Sin of Wrath): A parasitic entity. Manifests as boiling black tar crawling up Issei's neck, hardening into a dead-flesh pale leather mask bound by thick black surgical stitches and weeping fleshy dreadlocks (vibe: Corey Taylor Iowa-era Slipknot mask in a gritty manga aesthetic).
Proof of Work and Division of Roles:
- The Script is 100% Finished: All 24 pages are written, paced, and broken down panel-by-panel (camera angles, composition notes, dialogues, and SFX).
- English Lettering and Typesetting: I will personally place and format all text, dialogue bubbles, and sound effects on the final pages—you only focus on the art!
- Contest and Submission Handling: I will manage formatting, contest submission paperwork, and social media promotion.
- Your Role (Artist): Character design checks, thumbnail storyboard (Name), and final lineart/screentones for the 24 pages.
Preview Materials (Check it out!):
Target Timeline: Aiming to complete the 24 pages within ~2 to 3 months (pacing: ~2–3 pages per week).
Influences and About Me: I am a passionate writer heavily influenced by dark, character-driven manga like Tokyo Ghoul, Jujutsu Kaisen, Bleach, Choujin X, and Berserk. I value reliability, open communication, and creative synergy. If you'd prefer to work with pre-made sketches and paneling, I can prepare those for you.
Interested in teaming up? Please leave a comment or send me a DM with a link to your portfolio / art samples and your Discord handle! Contact Discord: sajan246
