KADOKAWA CORPORATION, in partnership with qdopp Inc. and MyAnimeList Co., Ltd., co-hosted the MyAnimeList x Honeyfeed Writing Contest 2025 – THE ISEKAI presented by KADOKAWA. The English-language isekai fantasy novel contest was held on Honeyfeed, a novel submission platform operated by qdopp, with the goal of discovering exceptional storytelling talent from around the world. The winning works were announced today on the contest’s official webpage.
Out of a total of 1,240 entries, one Grand Prize winner and two Contest Winners Prize recipients were selected.
Grand Prize
“Isekai’d with my dog, I’m not the hero?!”
by Frettiko
An average guy named Mitsuta is reincarnated into another world along with his pet dog, Toast.
However, the goddess becomes utterly smitten with the adorable Toast and grants all of the hero’s bonuses to him instead. For a level 99 “Hero” Pomeranian, defeating monsters is a walk in the park. Meanwhile, his owner Mitsuta remains stuck at level 1… Constantly dragged along by the free-spirited Toast, Mitsuta gathers a group of quirky companions and runs an odd-jobs business, gradually carving out a place for himself in this new world. At this rate, they might even end up defeating the Demon King someday? A fluffy, feel-good comedy about a fun-filled isekai life with a beloved pet.
Contest Winners Prize
“HR in Another World: Building the Strongest Parties with my Appraisal Skill”
by Kaorin
Hiroyuki, an HR manager, is summoned to another world by a goddess. He has no combat ability whatsoever, but armed with the Divine Appraisal skill, which reveals hidden potential, he recruits allies and assembles the ultimate party. As Hiroyuki builds his team, however, the shadow of an assassin targeting him draws near… In a world far harsher than expected, can this hero’s party stand up to the Demon Lord’s army? A grand adventure begins as Hiroyuki uses his appraisal skills to save the world.
Marcus and Gus are transported to another world while hungover. Desperate to impress an elf princess, they end up boasting that they will “defeat one of the Demon Lord’s generals.” By sheer chance, Marcus awakens to beer magic and starts blasting beer while shouting “Hop Missile!”, while Gus’s right arm, whose power he cannot consciously control, suddenly awakens… With zero ability and zero planning, but unmatched bravado, these two men launch into a wildly unpredictable isekai buddy comedy!
Overall Review by KADOKAWA’s Editorial Department
KADOKAWA’s first English-language novel contest on Honeyfeed received 1,240 submissions, the highest number in the platform’s contest history. We are deeply honored by this response and delighted to see such strong interest from English-speaking creators in Japan’s light novel market. Following a rigorous selection process, one Grand Prize winner and two Contest Winners Prize recipients were selected. After initial voting by Honeyfeed users and volunteers, the final judging was conducted by Aneko Yusagi (author of The Rising of the Shield Hero) and editors from KADOKAWA.
The Grand Prize winner, Isekai’d with My Dog, I’m Not the Hero?!, stood out for its catchy,
approachable premise, making it easy to imagine on the shelves of Japanese bookstores. The
novel delivers plenty of laugh-out-loud comedic moments, along with charming portrayals of
Toast, the adorable dog. We were eager to read more about Toast’s exploits, his bond with
the protagonist Mitsuta, and Mitsuta’s growth over the course of the story.
The author, Frettiko, will receive a cash award of USD 5,000. The winning work will also be
assigned a KADOKAWA editor and is scheduled for translation and publication in Japan, with
a target release in 2027.
approachable premise, making it easy to imagine on the shelves of Japanese bookstores. The
novel delivers plenty of laugh-out-loud comedic moments, along with charming portrayals of
Toast, the adorable dog. We were eager to read more about Toast’s exploits, his bond with
the protagonist Mitsuta, and Mitsuta’s growth over the course of the story.
The author, Frettiko, will receive a cash award of USD 5,000. The winning work will also be
assigned a KADOKAWA editor and is scheduled for translation and publication in Japan, with
a target release in 2027.
The first Contest Winners Prize recipient, HR in Another World: Building the Strongest Parties
with My Appraisal Skill, made effective use of the appraisal skill trope that has become a staple
of the isekai genre, while capturing the distinctive feel of Japanese web novels. At the same
time, its expansive setting evoked the scope of a large-scale open-world game. The careful
portrayal of each character, along with story developments involving figures whose allegiance
is unclear, added depth and originality to the narrative.
The author, Kaorin, will receive a cash award of USD 3,000. The work will also be assigned a
KADOKAWA editor and revised with the aim of translation and publication in Japan.
with My Appraisal Skill, made effective use of the appraisal skill trope that has become a staple
of the isekai genre, while capturing the distinctive feel of Japanese web novels. At the same
time, its expansive setting evoked the scope of a large-scale open-world game. The careful
portrayal of each character, along with story developments involving figures whose allegiance
is unclear, added depth and originality to the narrative.
The author, Kaorin, will receive a cash award of USD 3,000. The work will also be assigned a
KADOKAWA editor and revised with the aim of translation and publication in Japan.
The second Contest Winners Prize recipient, Drinking Buddies: Hangover in Another World,
is a lighthearted comedy that keeps the pages turning. Its one-of-a-kind tone, blending
concepts like “beer magic” with a chunibyo-style demonic arm, creates a brand of absurd
humor that is strangely compelling. The two protagonists, Marcus and Gus, drinking buddies
from our world, are character types rarely seen in Japanese fiction and are likely to feel fresh
and distinctive to Japanese readers.
The author, Literate_Manul, will receive a cash award of USD 3,000. The work will also be
assigned a KADOKAWA editor and revised with the aim of translation and publication in Japan.
is a lighthearted comedy that keeps the pages turning. Its one-of-a-kind tone, blending
concepts like “beer magic” with a chunibyo-style demonic arm, creates a brand of absurd
humor that is strangely compelling. The two protagonists, Marcus and Gus, drinking buddies
from our world, are character types rarely seen in Japanese fiction and are likely to feel fresh
and distinctive to Japanese readers.
The author, Literate_Manul, will receive a cash award of USD 3,000. The work will also be
assigned a KADOKAWA editor and revised with the aim of translation and publication in Japan.
Going forward, KADOKAWA plans to continue hosting web novel contests in Japan and
abroad to discover talented writers from around the world who share a passion for Japanese
entertainment content.
abroad to discover talented writers from around the world who share a passion for Japanese
entertainment content.
Comment from Aneko Yusagi on the Grand Prize-Winning Work
Isekai’d with My Dog, I’m Not the Hero?! feels like a novel written with a strong understanding of Japanese light novels. The characters are comical, the pacing is brisk, and the story offers a genuinely light, comedic reading experience. I read it with excitement, eager to see what would unfold in the misadventures of this delightfully mismatched party.
Source: Press Release
