The Magic of Manga
They say a picture is worth a The art of Manga has a rich history and a profoundcultural impact that extends well beyond its rootsin Japan. The distinctive style of these well lovedcomics and graphic novels has influenced variousaspects of all forms of global art and literature.Let’s take a tiny dip into this genres rich history.
According to art historians on this subject, thereare two distinct ways in which Manga as we know ittoday has developed; Before and after World War II.
Pre World War II
Dating as far back as the 12th Century in Japan,emakimono (hand painted scrolls) depictednarrative scenes of animals that included wit andhumour embedded in the current culture of thatera. ‘The Tale of the Monkeys’ is a great exampleof the first depictions of these beginningforms manga. In this emakimono, created byan anonymous artist from the 1500’s, it showsa series of human activities done in a comicalform performed by monkeys. It even includessome speech alongside the characters.
The term Manga itself is said to have beenpopularised by famous woodblock artistHokusai who named a book of his sketches‘Manga’ in the early 19th century. Howeverthese books are collections of assortedsketches, not narratives telling a story, so it isalso noted that his interpretation isn’t as weknow it today.
Post World War II
After the war, Japan was occupied by America-this brought a whole new host of Westerncartoon characters and stories along with itthat is said to have influenced the artists ofthe time. Seeing their popularity, Japaneseartists gave these new influences life withtheir own style. These new stories werepublished in magazines and newspapersand later developed into dedicated series ofweekly and monthly comics.
One of the most successful artists to rise fromthis era was Osamu Tezuka who created of the most famous, if not THE most famous character, Astro Boy. The series Astro Boy. follows his adventures as he fights to protectthe world from people and robots who harmothers. Tezuka, also knowns as God of Mangaand Godfather of Anime, is responsible for thedistinctive large eyes prominent in Manga.
The Western world was soon mesmerised bythe distinct look of Manga. The overt displayof emotions that are often ridiculouslyexaggerated teamed with the clean lines andpainting and gripping story lines gave thisgenre notoriety. Moreover, Manga’s impact isevident in various aspects of popular culture,including fashion, music, and film. Iconiccharacters and themes from manga series arefrequently referenced in other media, andcosplay based on manga and anime charactershas become a popular subculture worldwide. Manga is a testament to the power ofvisual storytelling, there is so muchmore to it than this short article can fitin! It has developed into a beloved artform, transcending cultural boundaries.Its ability to adapt, innovate, and inspirecontinues to make manga a vibrant andessential part of both Japanese andglobal culture.
Get Creative Today
Of course a great way to get a monthly dose of new inspiration is a subscription to ScrawlrBox.
Subscribe today and join our wonderful Scrawlr Community.