#Japan #Tokyo #Piccoma #Kakao Piccoma #AWARD 2026

Piccoma Award 2026: Celebrating Reader Engagement

On May 21, 2026, Kakao Piccoma, headquartered in Minato City, Tokyo, announced the winners of the 'Piccoma Award 2026,' a prestigious celebration dedicated to showcasing the works most beloved by readers.

The Piccoma Award has been recognizing outstanding titles since 2018, discerning not only based on sales or popularity but also the passionate engagement that these works have generated among its audience. This marks the ninth edition of the award, and for this year, nine different works were chosen across three categories: Manga, SMARTOON®, and Novels. Each category recognized three individual titles, emphasizing the unique characteristics that have captivated readers throughout the year.

The Selection Process

Unlike a standard annual ranking, the Piccoma Award takes into account multiple factors, including sales figures, the number of readers, and likes while considering a deeper measure of how much these titles have excited and immersed their audiences. This approach highlights the emotional connection that readers have with the narratives, characters, and artwork within these selected works.

The 2026 winners represent a diverse array of genres and themes, incorporating trending titles that have gained popularity through media adaptations, as well as notable original content from the SMARTOON® platform and captivating stories aimed at female readers.

Award Winners List (In No Particular Order)

Manga Category:

1. The Easygoing Lord's Fun Territory Defense (Overlapped)
2. Peach Origin Dark Demon (Akita Shoten)
3. Psycho x Past: A Deep Cover Investigation into Serial Murders (Akita Shoten)

SMARTOON® Category:

1. Only I Level Up: Ragnarok (D&C MEDIA)
2. The Villain's Ending is Only Death (D&C MEDIA)
3. Ragnar: The Returning Swordsman (NEXT LEVEL Studio)

Novel Category:

1. Marriage of Convenience: I Won’t Become a Duchess with a Time Limit (Piccoma Novels)
2. Silent Witch (KADOKAWA)
3. I’ll Live Long To Love My Favorite Brother-in-Law! (AlphaPolis)

Special Feature Page and Reader Engagement

Currently, the special page for the Piccoma Award 2026 is live, showcasing messages from award-winning authors, commemorative illustrations, and detailed reader data stratified by gender and age. From May 21 to May 27, readers can also send supportive messages to the award-winning creators via the Piccoma app and website. For more details, please visit the special page: Piccoma Award 2026 Special Page.

Unique Celebration of Winning Works

In order to celebrate these acclaimed titles further, Piccoma has launched a promotional event aimed at encouraging users to enjoy the awarded works at a discount. This limited-time offer will allow all Piccoma users to read selected titles for free or at reduced prices, inviting even more fans to immerse themselves in these popular stories.

Manga Promotions:

• - The Easygoing Lord's Fun Territory Defense: Free until June 20, 39 episodes available.
• - Peach Origin Dark Demon: Free for the first 99 episodes until May 27; and from May 21 to July 13, readers can enjoy 400 episodes for free with a special promotion.
• - Psycho x Past: Free for the first 66 episodes until May 27 and 150 episodes available for free until July 13.

SMARTOON® Promotions:

• - Only I Level Up: Ragnarok: Over 60 episodes available for free until June 14.
• - The Villain's Ending is Only Death: Enjoy over 190 episodes for free until June 14.
• - Ragnar: The Returning Swordsman: Free access to more than 60 episodes until May 31.

Novel Promotions:

• - Marriage of Convenience: Over 70 episodes available for free until June 23.
• - Silent Witch: Free access to 456 episodes until August 18.
• - I’ll Live Long To Love My Favorite Brother-in-Law!: Free until June 20.

Future Prospects

Looking ahead, Piccoma aims to continue connecting users with diverse works through various initiatives. The Piccoma Award 2026 serves as an opportunity for readers to discover new favorites and expand their literary horizons. Through these efforts, Piccoma aspires to foster a deeper relationship between readers and the stories they adore.

The Piccoma application, which has surpassed 50 million downloads since its launch in April 2016, remains a popular platform, allowing users to read trending manga and novels for free daily.

For more information about Piccoma and its offerings, please visit the official Piccoma website.