Manga
Excerpt from the Book 'Manga Design'. By Julius Wiedemann.
Page [1] [2]
Manga are Japanese comics created for Japanese readers. They are published in anthologised series, usually in black and white, and with a new adventure in every issue in which new characters are introduced. Compared to the comic scene in any other country, Manga have not only higher publication numbers, but also are much more influential in their reach. Many manga books can have a weekly circulation in the millions, while in the West a comic series might reach the same amount of readers in a year. A series of books can reach 50, 70, or more issues, each one counting hundreds of pages. The support and reaction of the readers have a strong influence on the length of the series.
In Japan, Manga can be found on every street corner. They are sold at newsstands, malls, convenience stores, and, most importantly, in bookstores that often dedicate an entire floor just to manga. In such stores one can also find related titles, such as volumes of manga art and illustration, as well as special editions of the best selling series. Manga haven't just followed Japanese mainstream culture, they have been the mainstream for decades and have been the inspiration in many creative areas, such as the film genre Anime, advertising, film, and the visual arts. Authoring manga is often a very important step in the career of Anime and film directors, as is seen with the career of Hayao Mayazaki, to name just one example. For some time now, Manga have begun to influence western comic authors, designers, filmmakers, advertisers, and creative professionals in general.
The word manga came into use in the 19th century, when Hokusai, a well-known woodblock artist, used the two Kanji (Japanese characters, derived from the Chinese alphabet, that represent words and meanings) "man" (translated as lax) and "ga" (picture) to signify the characters he developed. But the art of telling stories in sequential blocks had already started in Japan a couple centuries before. At first designed for upper-class, educated society, manga were initially a very exclusive art. In the 18th century, Japan experienced a strong increase in middle class consumption, creating a fertile terrain for the mass consumption of these stories. They were then printed from woodblocks and already displayed many features of the modern manga of the 20th century.
After the Meiji revolution in the 19th century, Japan opened its ports and culture to foreigners, and the West began to exercise a strong influence on Japanese technology, culture, and lifestyle. At this point, manga started to have an appeal comparable to that of Western comics. A "new" form of manga that had a mixture of western and Japanese design was beginning to emerge. While these were the origin of the modern manga, the breakthrough clearly came when Osamu Tezuka started to publish his books.
Page [1] [2]
Page [1] [2]
Manga are Japanese comics created for Japanese readers. They are published in anthologised series, usually in black and white, and with a new adventure in every issue in which new characters are introduced. Compared to the comic scene in any other country, Manga have not only higher publication numbers, but also are much more influential in their reach. Many manga books can have a weekly circulation in the millions, while in the West a comic series might reach the same amount of readers in a year. A series of books can reach 50, 70, or more issues, each one counting hundreds of pages. The support and reaction of the readers have a strong influence on the length of the series.
In Japan, Manga can be found on every street corner. They are sold at newsstands, malls, convenience stores, and, most importantly, in bookstores that often dedicate an entire floor just to manga. In such stores one can also find related titles, such as volumes of manga art and illustration, as well as special editions of the best selling series. Manga haven't just followed Japanese mainstream culture, they have been the mainstream for decades and have been the inspiration in many creative areas, such as the film genre Anime, advertising, film, and the visual arts. Authoring manga is often a very important step in the career of Anime and film directors, as is seen with the career of Hayao Mayazaki, to name just one example. For some time now, Manga have begun to influence western comic authors, designers, filmmakers, advertisers, and creative professionals in general.
The word manga came into use in the 19th century, when Hokusai, a well-known woodblock artist, used the two Kanji (Japanese characters, derived from the Chinese alphabet, that represent words and meanings) "man" (translated as lax) and "ga" (picture) to signify the characters he developed. But the art of telling stories in sequential blocks had already started in Japan a couple centuries before. At first designed for upper-class, educated society, manga were initially a very exclusive art. In the 18th century, Japan experienced a strong increase in middle class consumption, creating a fertile terrain for the mass consumption of these stories. They were then printed from woodblocks and already displayed many features of the modern manga of the 20th century.
After the Meiji revolution in the 19th century, Japan opened its ports and culture to foreigners, and the West began to exercise a strong influence on Japanese technology, culture, and lifestyle. At this point, manga started to have an appeal comparable to that of Western comics. A "new" form of manga that had a mixture of western and Japanese design was beginning to emerge. While these were the origin of the modern manga, the breakthrough clearly came when Osamu Tezuka started to publish his books.
Page [1] [2]
Manga Design
Flexicover + DVD, 19.6 x 24.9 cm (7.7 x 9.8 in.), 576 pages
$ 39.99
$ 39.99
Discover the cult of Japanese comic books and the artists behind the phenomenon
Opus, Artist: Kon Satoshi