Mangaka

A manga artist, also known as a mangaka (: ), is a who writes and/or illustrates .

The implies a degree of expertise and traditional authorship. For example, the term mangaka 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 is .

In 2009, 5,300 mangaka were honored with a title published in bound volume in Japan. In a 2010 message, chairman, says: “[w]hile Japan is often said to be the world’s cartoon kingdom, not a few people will surely be wondering what exactly the Japanese mean by the term ”. 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.”

Consider pursuing an art degree. While you don’t need a degree to be a mangaka, formal education can help you gain the professional skills you need. A bachelor’s degree in fine arts can help you build up your artistic skills. However, you can also get a much more specific degree. A number of universities in the United States offer degrees in comic art, and if you’re willing to travel to Japan, you can earn bachelor’s or master’s degrees specifically in manga art.

Become a publisher’s assistant. There are plenty of manga artists who started off as assistants to manga publishers. While you’ll mainly be helping complete projects by drawing and editing another mangaka’s content, like backgrounds and filling, being an assistant presents plenty of opportunities for networking and industry growth, as you’ll see how things get done up close and personal.