Manga and anime were popular in Japanese pop culture long before they found their way to the West. Although the name manga originated in Japan in the late 18th century, this sort of comics did not become popular in the United States until the 1960s, when the popular Japanese animation series Astro Boy was imported. However, by 2007, the anime market in the United States had peaked at roughly $4.35 billion. According to the Japan External Trade Organization, this figure levelled out in 2010 at 400 million.

Manga and Anime’s Rise

Manga is a Japanese word for comic books. The term was initially used to describe the picture book Shiji no yukikai in 1798. In 1814, the phrase reappeared in the title of Aikawa Minwa’s Manga Hyakujo and Hokusai Manga, books containing drawings by the artist Hokusai.

During the United States’ occupation of Japan from 1945 until 1952, there was an explosion of artistic creation. During the occupation, American forces introduced Mickey Mouse, Betty Boop, and Bambi to Japan, encouraging Japanese artists to establish their own type of comics. Osamu Tezuka, renowned as the God of Manga and the Godfather of Anime, designed the unique wide eyes used in both manga and anime. Astro Boy, his manga series, went on to become the first Japanese television series to reflect the aesthetic that became recognised globally as anime. The series initially aired in Japan in 1963.

Anime, pronounced “ani-may,” refers to Japanese animation. Astro Boy was the first anime series to be televised outside of Japan in the 1960s. Other anime adaptations made waves in global markets in the 1970s and 1980s. Robotech and Star Blazers, two of them series, presented mature themes. Star Blazers, which debuted in the United States in 1979, dealt with several severe topics before they became worldwide concerns, such as radiation poisoning, acid rain, and global warming. In the first season of the show, mankind were forced to relocate underground to avoid radioactivity. Star Blazers was also the first major English-dubbed anime series with a storyline that required the episodes to be viewed in chronological order.

Manga’s Mass Appeal

Manga is a generic name in English-speaking nations for any graphic novels and comic books first released in Japan. Manga can be found in serialised comic books, monthly periodicals, and graphic novels. All media are available in English translation; however, graphic novels are the most popular and can be obtained in both huge bookstore chains and independent comic shops. The graphic books are typically presented in “manga-style,” which means from right to left.

While graphic novels are gaining traction with publishers and attention in Hollywood, most Americans still associate the term “comics” with newspaper strips and superheroes. Furthermore, in the United States, authors, writers, artists, and fans of comic books are still mostly male. Manga, on the other hand, is immensely popular among both men and women in Japan. Every year, people of all ages and walks of life spend billions of dollars in Japan on manga. Part of the reason for this is that manga has something for everyone, with every genre imaginable represented. The popular Pokémon series, for example, is suitable for children. There is manga for both genders and mature audiences, as well as works with sophisticated stories and emotional depth.

The Characteristics of Manga

Manga has a particular aesthetic, despite the fact that it spans a wide range of themes. And each artist has his or her own style. One of these characteristics is an outward display of emotion. Emotions are frequently exaggerated for humorous purposes, such as a vein protruding from a character’s forehead to represent stress. Another example is when characters have “X” eyes to indicate that they have been knocked out or are ill.

Manga and anime are both drawn in the same way. Pen and ink drawings are common, with an emphasis on clean lines. The majority of the characters have huge, almond-shaped eyes and other out-of-proportion bodily components. Both anime and manga are influenced by Japanese calligraphy and art, in which broad strokes are created with a round ink brush.