Discover Manga

You have probably come across manga–and it’s probably caught your eye! Manga is a term that comes from the Japanese words for “whimsical” and “pictures.” It is a form of visual storytelling, including comics and graphic novels. Manga is a central element of Japanese media and culture that has recently taken the world by storm. But it may surprise you to learn that manga first became popular in the late 18th century (and may be even older–its roots can be traced back to 13th-century scrolls)!

Scholars and amateurs alike have dedicated countless hours to the study of this cultural phenomenon, which has clear visual characteristics. Read on to learn how to identify manga and where fans go to learn more.

The Kyoto International Manga Museum, in Kyoto, Japan, was founded in 2006. The museum has many functions: It has both permanent and temporary gallery exhibitions, a research reference room, and an extensive library open to the public. Everyone from manga enthusiasts to researchers visit this museum to understand the importance of manga throughout history and around the world.

The museum’s collection features more than 300,000 examples of manga spanning its long history. The collection includes 18th-century woodblocks, contemporary magazines, comic books, and more. Permanent exhibitions explore the history and importance of the art form. The museum also features a manga studio, where visitors can watch artists at work, and a “portrait corner,” where an artist draws visitors in the characteristic manga style.

STYLIZED CHARACTERS: Manga artists often draw characters with prominent features, such as oversized, expressive eyes, large heads that are out of proportion with their relatively slender bodies, and bold hairstyles and colors.

EXAGGERATED EMOTIONS: When a manga character cries, tears might erupt from their eyes like geysers! Love is often expressed with pupils turning into hearts, and anger might appear as a vein in the middle of a character’s forehead. The characters’ large eyes help to demonstrate big emotions clearly.

SETTING: The background of a manga scene does not always literally show the space a character is standing in. The setting is often used to express emotions, like big bubbly hearts rising up to show a character falling in love, or motion, such as speed lines to show a character running fast.