Japanese manga and anime

History of manga and anime in Japan

Manga section in a bookstore
Manga, Photo by Jeena Paradies

The origin of manga

Some comical paintings are found in many works in the Middle Ages.
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), who was a famous Ukiyoe artist, also created cartoony caricatures.

Between the late the 19th century and the beginning of 20th century, early manga works were created.
Most of them were caricatures, and they were affected by American ones.

Additionally, some artists created manga with story and they became the prototype of modern manga.

Early manga

The word "manga" means "drawing a picture at will" and it was created around this period.

In the 1930s, some manga books for children were created, and they became best-sellers.
But they were expensive, so many children could not buy them.

In 1941, Japan launched the Pacific War (World War II), so creation of manga declined under the wartime regulations by the military.

In 1945, Japan defeated the war, but manga revived for children soon.

In the 1950s, many shops for rental books were opened.
Every child was able to read any manga with their pocket money, so the service developed.

The start of current style of manga

In the early 1950s, Tezuka Osamu (1928-1989) who was a great pioneer of modern Japanese manga built up the manga style with dramatic and long story.
His great works are Mighty Atom (Astro Boy, 1952-1968), Hi no Tori (Phoenix, 1956, 1967, 1986), Black Jack (1973-1983), etc.

He lived in a small apartment in Tokyo and had created many manga works there.
And many capable manga artists longing for Tezuka came from all over the country.

They created various manga works for rental comic and the style of Japanese manga had established.

In the 1960s, Japan entered high-growth era, and television spread around country.
In this time, "Popeye" or Disney's cartoon from U.S. hit the air.

In 1963, Mr.Tezuka started the first Japanese TV cartoon "Mighty Atom (Astro Boy)", and it captivated children in whole Japan.

Cover of Weekly Shonen Jump in the 1980s
Exhibition of Shonen Jump, Photo by Kanesue

Around the same time, some comic magazines for boys and girls started.
Especially, weekly magazines have some long serialized manga works, and they attracted the boys and girls for long time.

Popular manga works in the magazines were made into TV cartoon, so both magazine and TV were developed.
Such way became a mainstream for Japanese manga.

In addition, popular mange works were shown in movie theaters after editing for the screen.

Above popular serial manga works are published in book form.
It is called Tankobon in Japanese, and many tankobon are sold in most bookstores.

In most case, a Tankobon contains about 200 pages and they are for 10 weeks of the magazine.
Some popular long manga works consist of over 100 volumes.

Development of anime

In the 1980s, a word "anime" from "animation" began to be used as TV cartoon and movie of manga.
So the "manga" became the word for paper and electric comic book.

Since the middle of 1980s, many anime production companies like STUDIO GHIBLI have been established and produced the anime films for movie theater and DVD.

Some movies have become big hits around the world.

Now, "manga" and "anime" are the important cultures in Japan.
The subjects are broad, and many manga artist are creating now.

Feature of Japanese Manga

A Japanese manga book
Naruto no Manga, Photo by Darijapan

Manga in the comic magazine and Tankobon have the following characteristics.

Basically, the works are drawn in black and white.
(The pictures on the cover of the book are colored.)

The works are created for Japanese readers.
So, the structure and design of the page follow the characteristic of Japanese notation.

Sentences in Japanese languge are basically written vertically and the vertical lines in the speech ballon of manga are read from right to left.

Therefore, the reader sees the flames of the picture in every page in a direction from right to left.
That is the opposite direction of cartoon magazine in English.

Needless to say, the reader reads from the right page to the left page.

Japanese language has kanji characters (Chinese characters).
So, each speech can be written with less number of characters than the other languages using alphabet.

Speech ballons in English comic often occupy the frame horizontally and widely to write long word.
Speech ballons in Japanese manga are relatively compact and vertical.
They don't obstruct the picture, and each picture is easy to see.

In addition, not only Japanese interjection, onomatopoeia but also Japanese slang, abbreviation are used frequently, and the words are very short.
It is hard to translate into the other language.

Japanese manga has a wide range of subjects and a story line.
Various mangas are created for children, for young boys and girls, for adults, etc.
And most manga works are serialized.

Feature of Japanese Anime

It is certain that Japanese anime developed from Japanese manga.

Manga is basically serialized by a manga artist.
But, in anime, a moving video work completing in one issue is created by a team of scenario writer, designer, animator, etc. under the director and producer.

The story is intersting and deep.
The picture is beautiful and delicate.
Professional voice actors and actresses are appointed and the music for the work is composed.

It is like a cinema.