The term manga (whimsical pictures) was used during the Tokugawa period to describe cartoons and sketches drawn by artists in preparation for formal paintings and woodblock prints. Today the term is used to describe the internationally popular genre of Japanese illustrated comic books. Although illustrated stories have been a staple of Japanese literature since the mid-Tokugawa period, the rise of modern manga can also be attributed to the influx of American and other Western comic books during the postwar Occupation Period. Manga first appeared in their current form shortly after World War II. Manga, which are mostly printed in black and white, are usually serialized in telephone book–size monthly anthologies containing many ongoing stories. The artist (mangaka) typically works in a small studio with a few assistants and is associated with a creative editor from a commercial publishing house. Popular manga series are often published as complete works and may even be translated into various languages or made into animated film adaptations (anime). Manga target readers of all ages and cover topics that include adventure, romance, sports, historical drama, comedy, science fiction, fantasy, mystery, horror, sexuality, and even business. There are even manga adaptations of many works from the Japanese literary canon, both classical and modern. Many countries, including China, America, and France, have developed their own versions of the manga comic book style.
See also KANAGAKI ROBUN; LIGHT NOVELS.
Historical dictionary of modern Japanese literature and theater. J. Scott Miller. 2009.