Manga

Manga are comics or graphic novels from Japan. They have a special style that began in the late 1800s and are part of Japanese art. The word "manga" in Japan means both comics and cartooning, but outside Japan it usually refers to comics first made in Japan.

People of all ages in Japan read manga. There are many kinds of stories, like action, adventure, comedy, mystery, romance, science fiction, fantasy, sports, and more. Many manga are translated into other languages so people all over the world can enjoy them.

Since the 1950s, manga have become very important in Japan’s publishing world. Even though fewer printed books are sold, digital manga have grown a lot. Manga are now popular worldwide, with big markets in places like North America, France, and beyond. Many manga are turned into animated shows or movies.

Etymology

The word "manga" comes from the Japanese word 漫画. It has two parts: 漫 (man), meaning 'whimsical or impromptu,' and 画 (ga), meaning 'pictures.' This word is also the root of the Korean word for comics, manhwa, and the Chinese word manhua.

The term started being used in the late 18th century with books like Santō Kyōden's Shiji no yukikai (1798) and later with works such as Aikawa Minwa's Manga hyakujo (1814) and the famous Hokusai Manga books (1814–1834). Rakuten Kitazawa was the first to use "manga" the way we use it today. In Japanese, "manga" can mean all kinds of cartooning and comics, while in English it usually refers specifically to Japanese comics, similar to how we use the word "anime". The term "ani-manga" describes comics made from animation pictures.

History and characteristics

See also: Kibyōshi and Kamishibai

Manga began as old scrolls called emakimono and Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga in the 12th century. During the Edo period (1603–1867), books like Toba Ehon helped shape what we now call manga. The word "manga" became popular in 1798 with books like Santō Kyōden's Shiji no yukikai. Some think kibyōshi, picture books from the late 1700s, might have been the first comic books. These old stories, like modern manga, often had funny or romantic themes.

After World War II, many new manga artists appeared, such as Osamu Tezuka, who created Astro Boy, and Machiko Hasegawa, who made Sazae-san. Their work inspired many others. Manga for boys, called shōnen manga, often included robots, space adventures, and heroes. Manga for girls, called shōjo manga, focused on daily life and love stories. Both types became very popular in Japan and around the world.

Publications and exhibition

Manga is a big part of Japan's publishing industry. Manga books and magazines are popular in Japan and many other countries. Companies translate manga into many different languages.

Manga is often made for boys (shōnen) or girls (shōjo). Japan has special places called manga cafés, where people can drink coffee, read manga, and sometimes stay overnight. The Kyoto International Manga Museum has a website listing manga published in Japanese.

Magazines

Manga magazines usually have many stories. Each story gets about 20 to 40 pages per issue. Some magazines have one story each month, while others have many stories by different artists. Popular magazines for boys include Weekly Shōnen Jump, Weekly Shōnen Magazine, and Weekly Shōnen Sunday. For girls, popular ones are Ciao, Nakayoshi, and Ribon. New artists often start with short stories to get noticed.

Collected volumes

After a story has been running for a while, the chapters are often collected into books called tankōbon. These are like graphic novels and come in softcover or hardcover. They use better paper and are great for catching up on a series. Some special versions are made for older readers, and old manga are sometimes reprinted on cheaper paper.

Dōjinshi

Dōjinshi are comics made by small publishers. They are like independently published comic books. The big event for dōjinshi is Comiket, a huge comic book convention. These comics can have new stories or use characters from popular manga and anime, similar to fan fiction.

Digital manga

Thanks to the internet, people can now create and share manga online. Before the internet, artists had to take their drawings to publishers or magazines.

Today, many manga are released digitally, called web manga. Websites like Pixiv and Twitter let artists share their work for free. Some well-known manga, like One-Punch Man, began online before becoming books and TV shows. Big publishing companies now have websites and apps for digital manga, helping new artists share their stories.

Smartphones and computers have made digital manga very popular. While paper manga sales are decreasing, digital manga sales are growing. In Japan, digital manga made up most of the country's manga market in 2024.

International markets

By 2007, manga was very popular all over the world. Manga stories usually read from top to bottom and right to left, but some publishers change this to left to right for readers outside Japan. This change is called "flipping."

In Asia, manga has inspired art styles in countries like South Korea and China. In Europe, France and Germany love manga. In the United States, manga became popular in the 1980s and 1990s, and many publishers now offer translated manga books. Today, manga is popular in many countries and keeps getting more popular.

Localized manga

Main articles: Manfra and Original English-language manga

Some artists in the United States have made comics that look like manga. For example, Vernon Grant drew in manga style when he lived in Japan in the 1960s and 1970s. Other famous works include Frank Miller's Ronin, Adam Warren and Toren Smith's The Dirty Pair, and Ben Dunn's Ninja High School.

By the early 2000s, several U.S. companies began publishing comics in manga style made by American artists. In 2002, I.C. Entertainment started a series called Amerimanga. Later, eigoMANGA, Seven Seas Entertainment, and TokyoPop also began publishing similar works, sometimes calling them “global manga.” Artists in France have also made their own manga-style comics, called manfra, with Frédéric Boilet being a well-known example.

Awards

The Japanese manga industry gives out many awards. These awards are often sponsored by publishers. Winners usually get their stories published in magazines from the sponsor. Some well-known awards include the Akatsuka Award for funny manga, the Dengeki Comic Grand Prix for short stories, and the Kodansha Manga Award for different types of manga.

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also gives out the International Manga Award each year. In 2024, a new awards program called the American Manga Awards was started to honor manga creators whose work is available in English.

University education

Some universities in Japan, like Kyoto Seika University, have special classes to teach people how to make manga. These classes can take many years and cost a lot of money.

Some people think these schools might not be the best way to learn. They say that useful skills can sometimes be learned more quickly by working on the job.