EIU Student Eva Zheng Wins Anime-Style Character Contest for 2026 EIU Comic Fest
May-19-2026(Charleston, IL) – Eastern Illinois University student Eva Zheng, a sophomore from Charleston in EIU's 2D Studio Art program, has been selected as the winner of the Anime-Style Character Contest for EIU Comic Fest 2026.
Zheng’s design will serve as the official face of EIU Comic Fest 2026, a pop culture convention in its second year, hosted at Booth Library on Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is free and open to the public, featuring comics, games, cosplay, trivia, two escape rooms, an Artists’ Alley, costume show and more.
The character, Fujino Yuuka (Yuuka is her first name) is a maneki bridging the human and yokai world together through her light novels and manga. Encouraged by her yokai friends, she travels throughout the world, writing stories of the yokai world to the human world, and brings back ideas from the humans to the yokai in turn.
Zheng stated: “I’m truly honored to have the chance to participate in this contest. Anime and manga have a special place in my heart because of how beautiful and dynamic it can be. I once hit a few roadblocks on what anime meant, considering what was popular today, but hearing the ideas of others inspired me, and trusting the process along the way made things finally click together. It was a fun challenge figuring out what anime means to me, and I hope Yuuka conveys the same feelings I have about anime and manga to you.”
Zheng’s character illustration was selected by a panel of judges from the Comic Fest planning committee from among numerous entries submitted by EIU students. The winning submission will be licensed to Booth Library for usage related to 2026 EIU Comic Fest in perpetuity, however the copyright for the character will remain with the submitting artist.
Judges felt that Zheng’s character is well-suited to the classic Anime/Manga theme of this year’s event, and that the non-human characteristics of the illustration lend visual interest.
Brian W. Keith, dean of Booth Library stated “The winning entry captured the expressive energy and visual storytelling traditions associated with anime and manga while also bringing a distinctive voice to the work. Eva Zheng’s character stood out among a very strong field of submissions by talented EIU students and will help embody the creativity that Comic Fest celebrates.”
For more information about EIU Comic Fest, visit the website, thekeep.eiu.edu/eiu_comic_fest or email comicfest@eiu.edu. For more information on the contest or events taking place during EIU Comic Fest, contact Diane Highland, Library Exhibits & Events Coordinator at Booth Library, at dehighland@eiu.edu or by calling (217) 581-6061.
With a streamlined, no-cost application process and access to admissions counselors, prospective EIU students can quickly move from interest to enrollment while exploring scholarship opportunities and campus resources. Interested students can learn more about EIU’s admissions process at eiu.edu/admissions/apply.
EIU prepares students to accomplish their life goals through a combination of quality academics, personal relationships, and both on-campus and online learning opportunities. For more information about Eastern Illinois University, including its broad array of academic and career readiness programs, or any of EIU’s other community-based services and opportunities, visit eiu.edu or call EIU’s public information office at (217) 581-7400.
