Inspired by Manga

Manga are comics or graphic novels originating in Japan. The word "manga" comes from a Japanese word meaning "whimsical pictures". Most manga that we see nowadays conform to a style of art developed in Japan in the late 19th century, however the form has a long history that originates in earlier 12th century Japanese art. The term manga is used in Japan to refer to both comics and cartoons. In Japanese culture, people of all ages read manga. The medium includes works in a wide range of genres: action, adventure, comedy, detective, drama, history, horror, mystery, romance, science fiction and fantasy, erotica and suspense, among other topics including ninjas! 

Since the 1950s, manga has become an increasingly important part of the Japanese publishing industry. In 1995, the manga market in Japan was valued at $7 billion. Over the past decade, the Japanese manga market has only skyrocketed with the rapid growth of digital manga sales. Another reason for its success is manga's affinity for translation. Starting in the late 2010s, manga began to massively outpace U.S. comic book sales. By 2020, the North American manga market was valued at nearly $250 million. The rapid growth of the manga market has been attributed to the wide availability of manga on digital reading apps, as well as the rise of anime streaming. 

Manga is generally printed in black and white, in part due to the lower printing costs. In Japan, manga is usually published in series in large manga magazines often containing many stories, collected in tankōbon volumes. A manga artist, a mangaka, usually works with a few assistants in a small studio associated with a commercial publishing company producing re-runs of stories. The most popular manga stories are sometimes remade into live-action or animated versions in this lucrative art form. Artists such as Arika Uno, Peggy-Lee Mensen and Masami Kurumada have sought inspiration in this artform. Explore with Artsper other artists creating manga-inspired artwork for all ages to enjoy!