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So now you've learned all about
the history of manga - its background, its origins,
and its evolution into one of the most read publications
in Japan. You know about the roots of manga, stretching
all the way back through the centuries, and its humble
beginnings as an imitation of the Western comic strip.
You also know about how one man and his contemporaries
morphed manga into a unique and successful industry.
We're now going to take a brief look at where the manga
industry is today and where it could go in the future.
 Today,
manga is one of the biggest publication industries in
Japan. Tezuka's first graphic novel, referred to as
"tankoubon" on Eastern shores, inspired many
other manga works and stories which stretch out over
many volumes the size of Tezuka's first story, New Treasure
Island. Regular publications of manga artists' work
are common, and magazines such as Shounen Sunday contain
at least 200-400 pages of manga an issue. Manga artists,
who work mostly individually or in small groups under
no "official" company banner, are numerous,
and those who aren't as well known draw for any publication
they can get their work showcased in. Some even publish
their own work - fans who aren't necessarily known as
professional manga artists draw their own manga or draw
their own versions of popular manga, termed doujinshi,
and these works are also numerous. All of this shows
the appeal and respect that the manga industry continues
to get, especially in the anime movement, where countless
popular manga are converted into anime for the benefit
of the fans. Manga's large share of the publication
pie in Japan is very much justified.
In
the West, manga enjoys some success with readers as
well. Though the Western comic book industry commands
much of the publication sales, manga has nevertheless
achieved a following side-by-side with its Western counterpart.
The black and white pictures of manga appeal to many
people, and many anime fans, including myself, point
to their roots in comic books and Japanese manga as
their introduction into the world of anime. Some anime
fans even have said that they enjoy the manga versions
of their favorite anime more than the animated versions.
This speaks a lot to the depth of manga, and its ability
to draw readers in with its detailed art and story.
Manga
continues to flourish in Japan, and other cultures'
continue to show their appreciation for it, by collecting
their favorite series translated. With a large artist
base, a chunk of the publication percentage, and its
storytelling and detailed style, manga is definitely
here to stay for quite a while. Whether it is through
children's stories or adult-only themes, manga has,
and will continue to tell stories through its deep and
appealing pictures.
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