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Manga

✨ The Comic from Japan

Manga is a form of Japanese comics that combines drawings and written text to tell stories through a sequence of images. The word "manga" refers to comics in general in Japan, while outside the country it usually describes Japanese comic books.

Manga covers a wide range of genres and can be created for readers of different ages, including children, teenagers and adults. Stories may focus on adventure, romance, humor, science fiction, sports, history or everyday life.

Modern manga developed in Japan during the 20th century, although its roots can be linked to earlier traditions of visual storytelling. Many manga are published first in magazines before being collected into individual volumes called tankōbon.

Their distinctive visual style often uses expressive characters, detailed backgrounds and creative panel layouts to guide the reader through the story. Manga has become popular worldwide and has influenced animation, cinema and other forms of entertainment. Beyond leisure, it also reflects aspects of Japanese society, culture and artistic expression.

💡 Did you know?

Why black and white? Mangas are in black and white mainly for reasons of speed and cost. In Japan, they are first published in large weekly magazines on recycled paper. Authors must draw very fast (often 20 pages per week!), and color would take too long.

Tezuka, the father of manga. Osamu Tezuka is considered the 'God of manga'. He invented the big-eye style (inspired by Disney cartoons of the time) and the way of telling stories like in a movie (cinematographic layout). His most famous character is Astro Boy.

The best-selling manga. 'One Piece' is the best-selling manga in the world, with over 500 million copies! It is even one of the best-selling fictional works in human history, surpassing some very famous novels. The story of a pirate seeking treasure has conquered the entire planet.