Tokyopop is finalizing its choices for the winners of its Rising Stars of Manga competition, in which any American creator could submit previously unpublished manga work to Tokyopop.  The top 10 entries, as chosen by a Tokyopop panel, will receive cash prizes and have their work published in a compilation anthology, and in the case of the first prize winner, get a chance to pitch a full series to Tokyopop. 

Over 500 entries were received by the December cut-off, and since then the Tokyopop judges have been poring over the stories to find their choices for the best.  When we visited the Tokyopop offices last Thursday (the 16th), there were frequent 'quorum calls' for the judges to vote in the next round of balloting.  The anthology of winning entries will street April 29th.