Manga

Art has evolved through time to take several forms across various different cultures. The Japanese comics and graphic novels known as manga are undoubtedly one of the most popular versions of this. Covering a plethora of stories and genres while presenting something appealing to people of all ages, it is no surprise that manga has become so well-loved to the point that they even act as a replacement for the books and novels we’re all familiar with. They are usually read from right to left while having distinguishing art styles that make each one of them unique.

Who Makes/Creates Manga?

Manga is original work that is written and illustrated by creators known as Mangaka. While there are several who rise to prominence by posting their work online, the usual way for a manga artist/Mangaka to make it into the field is by winning competitions held by many publishing companies. If their work shows potential, they are assigned to an editor who oversees their work before the Mangaka finally makes his/her debut. The anime “Bakuman” explains this process quite well and in an easily understandable manner.

The History of Manga

The recent rise in the popularity of manga might give many the impression that it hasn’t been around for a long time. On the contrary, however, traces of Manga can be dated back to the 12^th century when scrolls with caricatures drawn on them were made. The first “official” manga that was made with a series of chapters was Sazae-san by Machiko Hasegawa in 1946.

Prior to this, picture books were the main mode of expressing stories through drawings. Before World War 2, creativity was very limited while focussing on cultural issues rather than thinking outside the box. Once the war got over, however, there was no stopping the creativity and innovative themes in the manga.

Astro Boy by Osamu Tezuka who is considered “the Father of Manga” led this revolution while being an inspiration to countless others that followed it.

Division of Manga

Manga is generally divided on the basis of gender, age, themes as well as genre. Shounen Manga is generally aimed at boys up to 18 years old while having an abundance of action and hype moments that keep the viewer engaged. Seinen Manga is meant for adults and young adults usually between 18 and 30. These generally have more relatable and adult topics that require a bit of thinking.

For teenage girls of a younger age, Shoujo Manga is the main source of entertainment. These are cute and sweet stories that have a focus on romance and exaggerated drama. For adult women, however, Josei manga fills this role. While these also have a major focus on romance and drama, there is a more realistic factor about them that deal with several issues that hit too close to home.

Little kids find it hard to get into any of the above-mentioned types and prefer more fun series that don’t require thinking or investment. Kodomomuke Manga serves this role by being very enjoyable plots that also have a good moral. Pokemon, Doraemon, and several other nostalgic shows are the most popular among these.

Under these, there are several genres going from action to the horror that takes readers on an emotional rollercoaster. The fantastic world-building and intricately written storylines completely absorb the reader to the point where they do not restrict themselves to any one demographic of manga such as only Shounen but also make leaps to try Seinen and even Shoujo on several occasions.

Different types of Manga around the World

While we all know that manga is specifically associated with Japan, several countries around the world have been inspired by them and come up with their own versions of these comics that show clear inspiration.

Manhwa: Comics originating from Korea are known as Manhwa. Unlike manga which prefers to stick to the original black and white colors of the illustration, these come in the colored form while the panels are more spaced out. Similar to the American comics, these are read from right to left and make insightful commentaries on Korean culture. Manhwa also places a huge emphasis on the main character and the focus on side characters is a lot lesser compared to the Japanese Manga where they are given a lot of importance.

Manhua: Chinese Comics are commonly called Manhua. The paneling of these is similar to manga but they are usually read from left to right. The stories in manhua almost always have a supernatural and fantasy element while having themes of martial arts. They are notorious for having a huge number of chapters and characters who gradually gain powers.

Webtoon: Webtoons are digital comics that are meant to be read through phones or the app. While their place of origination is Korea, people from all over the world contribute to making webtoons as there is no hassle of printing in its case. While Manhwa usually has novels that provide their stories, Webtoons are completely original material made from scratch.

The growth of Manga has been increasing rapidly and it doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon. As anime gets more and more popular, people begin craving the original source material based on which it was adapted. The market size of the Manga market globally is around 11 Billion Dollars with a majority of the population consuming it in one form or the other. This shows a bright sign for anyone who wishes to express themselves through the medium of art as there will be no shortage in the demand for stories that break barriers and blow the readers away.