Manga

Manga are comics or graphic novels that come from Japan. They have a special style that started in the late 1800s and have a long history in Japanese art. The word "manga" in Japan means both comics and cartooning, but outside Japan it usually talks about 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 get 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. By 2024, the manga market in Japan was worth about ¥704.3 billion. 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 get turned into animated shows or movies, and women have been important creators in this field for many years.

Etymology

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

The term began to be 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" in 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 started 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, 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. By 2007, manga made up about 40.6 billion yen (around US$395 million) each year. In 2006, manga books made up about 27% of all book sales, and manga magazines made up 20% of all magazine sales. Manga has also become popular around the world, with companies translating and printing manga in many different languages.

Manga is often grouped by who it's meant for, like boys (shōnen) or girls (shōjo), and they even look different on the covers. 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 big website listing manga published in Japanese.

Magazines

Manga magazines usually have many stories going on at once, with each story getting about 20 to 40 pages per issue. Some magazines have just 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 called "one-shots" 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 for about 100 yen each.

Dōjinshi

Dōjinshi are comics made by small publishers outside the big companies. They are like independently published comic books. The big event for dōjinshi is Comiket, a huge comic book convention with around 500,000 visitors over three days. These comics can have new stories or use characters from popular manga and anime, similar to fan fiction. In 2007, dōjinshi sales were about 27.73 billion yen (US$245 million), making up about a tenth of all manga sales.

Digital manga

Thanks to the internet, new ways have opened up for people who want to create manga to share and sell their work online. Before the internet, creators had to take their paper drawings to publishers or enter contests run by magazines.

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

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

International markets

By 2007, manga had become very popular around 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 are big fans of manga. In the United States, manga became popular in the 1980s and 1990s, and many publishers now offer translated manga books. Today, manga is very popular in many countries and continues to grow in popularity.

Localized manga

Main articles: Manfra and Original English-language manga

Some artists in the United States have created comics inspired by manga. For example, Vernon Grant made manga-style drawings while living in Japan in the late 1960s and early 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 manga-style comics 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 created their own manga-style comics, known as manfra, with Frédéric Boilet being a well-known example.

Awards

The Japanese manga industry gives out many awards, 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, offer special classes to help people learn how to make manga. These classes can take several years and cost a lot of money.

Some people think these schools aren’t always the best way to learn, saying that useful skills can sometimes be learned faster on the job instead.