Manga laid the foundation for the worldwide phenomena ‘Anime’. Manga refers to the huge variety of Graphic Novels and Comic Books originating from Japan. Unlike American comic books, Mangas are purely black and white — with only special episodes released in colored versions.
Mangas have a distinctive art style: a well-written story, and many volumes. Unlike Anime’s hefty production cost, Manga is fairly a less expensive art medium without needing a lot of people to publish one Manga.
Even a single Mangaka can create the artwork, and story and publish it himself.
What is manga?
Simply put, manga is Japanese comics. They are frequently adapted for Japanese animation. This form of cartoon is commonly referred to as anime.
Manga has a specific animation style that includes huge eyes, exaggerated emotional responses, fine features, unusually colored hair, and other character characteristics that will become recognized as one reads manga.
Manga, like novels, has a plethora of subgenres. They include fantasy and science fiction, as well as slice-of-life and mecha. These genres frequently have blurred edges, allowing for incredibly inventive storytelling and plot aspects.
Are all Manga in Japanese?
Yes— it is quite evident since the term Manga originated in Japan and every graphic novel has to be in Japanese to be called a ‘Manga’.
Manga refers to comics in Japanese—so in the Japanese language, a native will call any graphic novel a Manga no matter the country of origin or the art style. But Internationally Manga is like an identity for Japanese comics only. So calling any comic a Manga that is not made for the Japanese market is absurd.
Even if an artist from another country takes inspiration from Japanese art style for his comic like Marvel comics or DC that does make it a Manga.
There are also comic books in other countries that are so heavily influenced by Mangas that they have their category. Manhwas in South Korea and Manhuas in China are a couple of examples.
Compared to American comics, which are released in paperback or hardcover rather than in magazines, Typical Manga storylines are significantly longer.
Japanese Manga debuts in magazines before being released in paperback. And there is much more Manga in Japan than there are comics in the United States.
Manga in Japan dominates both animated and live-action cinema. Here is a list of Top Live-Action Movies that are based on Manga:
| Title | Director | Year |
| Lone Wolf and Cub | Kenji Misumi | 1972 |
| Our Little Sister | Hirokazu Koreeda | 2015 |
| Rurouni Kenshin Trilogy | Keishi Ohtomo | 2012 |
| 20th Century Boys Trilogy | Yukihiko Tsutsumi | 2008-2009 |
| Hot Road | Takahiro Miki | 2014 |
| Parasyte | Takeshi Yamazaki | 2014 |
| Bunny Drop | Sabu | 2011 |
| Helter Skelter | Mika Ninagawa | 2012 |
| Assassination Classroom | Eiichiro Hasumi | 2015 |
| I am a Hero | Shinsuke Sato | 2015 |
Does Manga have to be in Japanese?
According to Google, Manga is defined as “a kind of Japanese comic books and graphic novels, often aimed at adults as well as children.” It must adhere to Japanese culture and the foremost part of a culture is the language.
Mangas Originally have to be published in Japanese but they can be translated into different languages. Just like how Anime is dubbed into English and other languages.
Manga makes up a sizable portion of the Japanese publishing market, therefore there are comics accessible for all ages, genders, and hobbies. Manga comes in the Japanese language is the fundamental distinction between them and American comics.
Whatever a person may enjoy, there is definitely a Manga about it. There are Mangas about golf, football (both American and European), fishing, cooking, wine, superheroes, aliens, true crime, action, etc.
What is the longest Manga ever?
Mangas stay in the picture for a long time. Beginners might think of Attack on Titan as the longest Manga but even AOT has been concluded after 12 years. There are Manga series beginning from the 80s that are still going strong!
Here is a list of the longest Manga ever (and still running):
1. Golgo 13
- First Published in 1968
- No. of chapters: 539 Chapters
With 200 published volumes and a runtime of 53 years, it is the second-longest Manga ever produced in Japan. Considering that it involves an assassin, it seems like the ideal setting for a comic.
There will always be a new job for hired guns, just like in the Agent 47 video game franchise. Though 53 years do seem like an eternity.
2. Detective Conan
- First Published in 1994
- No. of chapters: 1,069 Chapters
Detective Conan has now completed its 99 volumes in the 27-year duration.
In the story of Detective Conan, a young detective named Shinichi Kudo gets poisoned by “The Black Organization,” an evil organization. He intended to die from the poison. The poison, however, changed him into a kid.
3. One Piece
- First Published in 1997
- No. of chapters: 1,010 chapters (ongoing)
The Manga has released about 98 volumes in the 24 years since its release. Its Anime adaptation is also going strong with 960 episodes since its first broadcast in 1999.
One Piece chronicles the journey of Monkey D. Luffy—a young man who sets out from the East Blue Sea in search of the legendary treasure known as the One Piece in order to establish himself as the King of the Pirates.
4. Pokemon Adventures
- First Published in 1997
- No. of volumes: 58 volumes
Every Manga arc features a different team of protagonists, each of whom is based on the most recent Pokemon generation to debut in video games.
As Red, Blue, and Green are the character names based on the original games, the first arc follows their adventures. The second arc then takes the form of, say, Gold and Silver. In comparison to both the games and the Anime, the Manga can be somewhat darker at times.
#5 Super Mario-Kun
- First Published in 1991
- No. of volumes: 56 volumes
Every story arc is inspired by a distinct game. For instance, Super Mario Odyssey and Luigi’s Mansion 3 adaptations made up the last two significant arcs in 2020.
Although its main character is a plumber the story arcs are quite different and adventurous.
#6 JOJO’s Bizzare Adventure
- First Published in 1987
- No. of volumes: 131 volumes
Jojo’s Bizzare adventure has been going on for 34 years. The story is broken down into different arcs with a spotlight on different characters in each part.
There are currently 8, with JoJolion, the most recent, having started in 2011 and concluding after its ten-year run of publication.
Jojo’s Bizzare Adventure is the tale of the psychically powerful Joestar family and the adventures that each member has in their lifetimes. The Manga chronicles the battles between the forces of evil and the cursed Joestar bloodline.
This video has some Manga recommendations for you!
Can an American write manga?
Yes, they can. Manga refers to a specific styles including the drawing element and cultural essence. So if you can incorporate all of them into your work you can get your Manga published by big companies.
A great example of an American Manga is RWBY. the Creator made many efforts to publish several episodes in the shonen jump magazine and eventually the Anime adaptation was also dubbed into Japanese by Crunchyroll.
Can manga be written in English?
Yes, Mangas can be written in English but then they will not be just called Japanese-style Manga, They will be called Original English Language Manga or OEL Manga.
Manga-inspired graphic novels and comics were first written in English rather than Japanese yet make use of Manga techniques. These are typically written with readers in North America, Australia, and the United Kingdom in mind, hence they are frequently (but not always) read from left to right like other western literature.
Can someone who is not Japanese create manga?
Certainly, I feel that anyone who is talented at drawing, has a lot of creative ideas, and knows how to put those ideas into action can make a manga.
Developing a manga is dependent on how excellent your work is, how effectively you can capture the audience’s attention with your art, and what tale you are presenting.
All of these points do not necessitate being Japanese. It makes no difference what country you are if you are good at what you do. People will enjoy your manga even if you are Russian if the plot and art are good.
Getting your manga published in Japan, on the other hand, is a bit more difficult. You must be determined and perseverant. But this is true for any work in this world. Yet, there are numerous cases of persons from Sweden, America, and Malaysia having their manga published in Japan by some of Japan’s most well-known and sought-after publishing houses.
Conclusion
- Manga is a signature way of storytelling in Japan and is considered a cultural symbol internationally.
- Unlike Comics, Manga has multiple volumes, a more mature and diverse storyline, and a very long runtime.
- Manga can be created by anyone no matter their nationality. But they must adhere to the art style and cultural references while creating a Manga.
- Mangas that are originally written in the English language are called OEL Manga that contains elements from the Japanese art style.