History of Manga - Research
Most of us know what Manga is. We can describe it as the comic book version in Japan. For the most part, this is true. With a long history rooted in rich Japanese art, manga is one of the most fascinating phenomena in Japan and around the world.
By the late 1700s, Japanese artists were combining pictures and words in comic illustrated novels that commented on aspects of contemporary society. These novels were published in large numbers mainly for newly rich and literate urban audiences and show that from an early stage, Manga could be political. (British Museum, n.d.)
The word ‘manga’ has been used to describe various styles over the last two centuries. The first artist have been associated with the name was Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849), the designer of the famous print, The Great Wave. The reason was the title of a series of picture books that he published starting in 1814, the Hokusai manga. (British Museum, n.d.)
After a long development and after the war, the golden age of manga arrived in the 1980s and 1990s, following Japan’s economic boom. The peak came in 1995 – that year alone, 1.34 billion manga collections were published. As stated by the British Museum (n.d.):
The first-ever know manga was is considered the foundation of Manga is from art pieces from the year 1200 AD. These first "Mangas" represented a group of animals like monkeys and rabbits behaving like normal humans. This was known as the Handscrolls of Frolicking Animals (Chōjū giga). This is considered the foundation for the fact that these artworks shown techniques from the modern manga (manga that we know today). (British Museum, n.d.)
(British Museum, n.d.)
By the late 1700s, Japanese artists were combining pictures and words in comic illustrated novels that commented on aspects of contemporary society. These novels were published in large numbers mainly for newly rich and literate urban audiences and show that from an early stage, Manga could be political. (British Museum, n.d.)
The word ‘manga’ has been used to describe various styles over the last two centuries. The first artist have been associated with the name was Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849), the designer of the famous print, The Great Wave. The reason was the title of a series of picture books that he published starting in 1814, the Hokusai manga. (British Museum, n.d.)
When japan opened international trading, they started to do their first-ever journal called the Japan Punch. These journals presented cartoons satirizing local westerners and the difficulties they had in establishing commercial and diplomatic relations with the Japanese. (British Museum, n.d.)
(British Museum, n.d.)
After a long development and after the war, the golden age of manga arrived in the 1980s and 1990s, following Japan’s economic boom. The peak came in 1995 – that year alone, 1.34 billion manga collections were published. As stated by the British Museum (n.d.):
"Among the most successful recent manga is ONE PIECE, which has been running continuously since 1997. It tells the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a boy whose body has become magically rubberized and who travels the world on a pirate ship in search of the priceless treasure called ONE PIECE."
Japan had by far the largest comics industry in the world and selling by 1984 over 1.4 billion and by 1995 over 2.3 billion copies of manga books and magazines per annum, and in the early 21st century comics constituted 37% of the overall publishing market by volume and 23 percent by value.
Wide Walls (n.d.) A Short History of Manga [online] Available from: https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/japanese-manga-comics-history [accessed on: 26/04/21]
(British Museum, n.d.)
When we talk about manga records, all of them happen in Japan. Japanese Manga comics are continuously breaking records of the number of copies that are being sold. But when Mangas started going around the world faster and faster, it became a part of the Japanese industry. Of course, we can tell which are the ones that are more popular or successful. There are also older examples of comics, particularly those created in the years after the Second Great War that are still renowned as the most iconic examples of the famous Japanese comic (Widewalls, n.d.). Here's the list:
- Astro Boy
- One piece
- Golgo 13
- Dragon Ball
- Naruto
- Black Jack
- Kochikame
- Oishinbo
- Slam Dunk
- Case closed (Widewalls, n.d.)
Here's something that the Widwwalls (n.d.) said about the industry of manga (and anime) that summarises perfectly Japanese industry:
"For more than 60 years, manga has been a major part of the Japanese cultural identity. Accounting for over 25 percent of all printed materials in the country, it represents a significant share in Japan’s publishing industry. As it offers something for everyone, manga fans range from small children to senior citizens. Nearly every aspect of Japanese pop culture production can be traced to the industrial complex of manga, as the most famous manga has a far-reaching influence and quickly turns into books, television shows, anime, collectible figures, and video games."
Nowadays there are many artists that help grow the industry and many fans to support. There are more countries that are embracing the idea of manga and making their own work using the art style (a good example of this is Avatar). For my project I will be doing the same, using some of the art styles for the animation I will be doing.
References:
Britannica (n.d.) Asia and the manga [online] Available from: https://www.britannica.com/art/comic-strip/Asia-and-the-manga [accessed on: 26/04/21]
British Museum (n.d) Manga: a brief history in 12 works [online] Available form: https://blog.britishmuseum.org/manga-a-brief-history-in-12-works/ [accessed on: 26/04/21]
Would like to see follow up posts identifying one of the examples you listed that has the greatest influence on your project so far, in terms of storytelling, or visual language.
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