ABOUT MANGA
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History
Japanese manga got its start in 1959 when two magazines, ‘Weekly Shonen Sunday’ and Weekly Shonen Magazine’ were launched the same day. They were a big hit and provided initial fuel for the manga boom.
In Japan, the word “manga” simply means “comic.” But to the world, “manga” has come to be equated with the particular artistic style of comic creation originating in Japan, and has gained tremendous popularity around the globe.
Over the past 50 years, the comic industry in Japan has increased to become the country’s largest print market, representing 40% of all printed material sold in Japan. Over 120 million copies are purchased each month in Japan of approximately 70,000 different manga serials.
The Market
The Japanese manga comic style now forms a significant part of 21st century world pop culture.
Annual manga sales in Japan approach US$7 billion; that’s 40% of all book and magazine publications in the country. The three top selling weekly manga serials sell a combined 10 million copies/week.
There’s no question that what started in Japan has become an increasingly forceful cultural influence throughout the world.
Milton Griepp, founder of ICv2, a research organization that deals with the animation industry, made these comments in 2005 regarding the global spread of manga literature.
Milton Griepp QuotesYouth Culture
Manga is not a fad or craze, but a story-telling medium which has matured from the 1970’s, and has now become firmly entrenched within the highly connected youth cultures of people groups around the globe. The generation which has grown up on gaming consoles and the internet, many who would never consider themselves regular book readers, are reading manga.
