Manga artist

Amanga artist,also known as amangaka(Japanese:Mạn họa gia), is acomic artistwho writes and/or illustratesmanga.As of 2013, about 4,000 professional manga artists were working in Japan, plus thousands of part timers and wannabes.

Bow Ditama,a manga artist

Most manga artists study at an art college or manga school or take on an apprenticeship with another artist before entering the industry as a primary creator. More rarely a manga artist breaks into the industry directly, without previously being an assistant. For example,Naoko Takeuchi,author ofSailor Moon,won aKodansha Manga Awardcontest and manga pioneerOsamu Tezukawas first published while studying an unrelated degree, without working as an assistant.

A manga artist will rise to prominence through recognition of their ability when they spark the interest of institutions, individuals or a demographic of manga consumers. For example, there are contests which prospective manga artist may enter, sponsored by manga editors and publishers. This can also be accomplished through producing aone-shot.While sometimes a stand-alone manga, with enough positive reception it can be serialized in a weekly, monthly, or quarterly format. They are also recognized for the number of manga they run at any given moment.

Etymology

The original Japanese word can be broken down into two parts:manga(Mạn họa)andka(Gia).

Themangacorresponds to the medium of art the artist uses:comics,or Japanese comics, depending on how the term is used inside or outsideJapan.

The-ka( gia ) suffiximplies a degree of expertise and traditional authorship.For example, this term would not be applied to a writer creating a story which is then handed over to a manga artist for drawing. The Japanese term for such a writer of comics isgensakusha(Nguyên tác giả).

In 2009, 5,300 mangaka were honored with a title published in bound volume in Japan.In a 2010 messageJapan Cartoonists Associationchairman,Takashi Yanasesays: "[w]hile Japan is often said to be world's cartoon kingdom, not a few people will surely be wondering what exactly the Japanese mean by the term 'cartoon'. Unfortunately, there is no hard-and-fast definition that can be offered, since the members of this association lay claim to an extensive variety of works. "

Becoming a manga artist

Traditionally in order to become a manga artist, one would need to send their work into a competition held by various publishing companies. If they won their work would be published and they would be assigned an editor and officially "debut" as a manga artist.Nowadays there are many self-published manga artists on the internet posting their work on websites.It is possible for these manga artists' works to be officially picked up by a publishing company, such asShueisha.For example,One-Punch Manstarted off as a webcomic before Shueisha began publishing a manga remake onTonari No Young Jump.

Relationship to other staff

While Japan does have a thriving independent comic market for amateur and semi-professional artists, creating manga professionally is rarely a solo effort.Manga artists must work with an assortment of others to get their work completed, published, and into the hands of readers.

Editor

Most professionally published manga artists work with an editor, who is considered the boss of the manga artist and supervises series production. The editor gives advice on the layout and art of the manga,vetsthe story direction and pace, ensures that deadlines are met, and generally makes sure that the manga stays up to company standards.Naoki Urasawacompared the relationship between a manga artist and their editor to that of the one between amusic producerand a recording artist, specifically citingGeorge Martin's relationship withThe Beatles.The editor may also function as abrand managerandpublicistfor a series. When a manga is the basis for amedia franchise,the editor may also supervise the designs foranimeadaptations, and similar products, though this duty may also fall to the manga artist or an agent.An example of a manga artist and their editor isAkira ToriyamaandKazuhiko Torishima.

Writer

A manga artist may both write and illustrate a series of their own creation, or may work together with an author. The manga artist typically has a strong influence on dialog even when paired with a writer, as any conversation mustfit withinthe physical constraints imposed by the art.Takeshi ObataofDeath Note,Tetsuo HaraofFist of the North Star,andRyoichi IkegamiofSanctuaryare all successful manga artists who have worked with writers through the majority of their careers.

Assistants

Most manga artists have assistants who help them complete their work in a clean and timely manner. The duties of assistants vary widely, as the term incorporates all people working for a manga artist'sart studio,but is most commonly used to refer to secondary artists. The number of assistant artists also varies widely between manga artists, but is typically at least three. Other manga artists instead form work groups known as "circles" but do not use additional assistants, such as the creative teamCLAMP.A few manga artists have no assistants at all, and prefer to do everything themselves, but this is considered exceptional.

Assistants are commonly used forinking,lettering,andshading,though the predominance of black and white art in manga means that unlike in the western comic industry, a studio rarely employs acolorist.Some manga artists only do thesketchworkfor their art, and have their numerous assistants fill in all of the details, but it is more common for assistants to deal withbackgroundandcameoart, leaving the manga artist to focus on drawing and inking the characters. Assistants may also be employed to perform specialized artistic tasks.Go Nagai,for instance, at one time employed a specialist to draw helicopters and other military vehicles,Kaoru Moriemployed a historical consultant forEmma,and series that incorporatesphotorealistic architecture,animals,computer-rendered imagery,or other technically demanding effects may employ or contract separate artists trained in those techniques. Assistants almost never help the manga artist with the plot of their manga, beyond being a sounding board for ideas. A manga artist's assistants might be listed in the credits for a mangatankōbon,and short interviews with or illustrations by assistant artists are a common form ofbonus materialin these collections, but they typically do not receive individual credits.

Most manga artists started out as assistants, such asMiwa Uedato Naoko Takeuchi,Leiji Matsumototo Osamu Tezuka,Kaoru Shintanito Leiji Matsumoto, andEiichiro Oda,Hiroyuki Takeiand Mikio Itō toNobuhiro Watsuki,who was himself an assistant toTakeshi Obata.It is also possible for an assistant to have an entire career as such without becoming an independent manga artist. Assistants, particularly specialists, may work with several different manga artists at the same time, and many assistants also self-publish works of their own in thedōjinshiscene.

See also

• Bakuman,a late 2000s manga series offering a dramatized look at the inside of the industry
• The Comic Artist and His Assistants,a manga that offers a dramatized perspective view of life as a manga artist
• List of manga artists

External links

• The dictionary definition ofmanga artistat Wiktionary
• Japan Cartoonists Association (JCA), Official website(in Japanese)
• 15 Richest Manga Artists Of Japanat TheAnimeDaily