What is Manga?: Before I knew what manga was, I had asked myself the question that titles this section several times over the years. Yet, I apparently wasn't that interested in finding an answer-until recently. What I found, in my investigating, was extremely interesting and often surprising. The simple definition of manga is "Japanese comics" (Sanders). Yet, manga is so much more. In this one word, the "synthesis [of] a long Japanese tradition of art that entertains" is defined (Schodt 21). To better answer the question, "What is Manga?" it is best to view the entire scope of Manga and the influences that shaped it. While manga has not always been known by this name, it's existence has left an indelible mark on the past while forging a path into the future.

The Ancient Manga: The earliest influences of Manga date back to ancient Japan. In the eighth century, CE, Horyuji Buddhist Temple was completely rebuilt after burning to the ground (Ito 458). When repairs were done on the temple in 1935, drawings resembling caricature figures and, according to Frederik Schodt in Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics, "grossly exaggerated phalli" were discovered on wood boards taken down from the temple's ceilings (qtd. in Ito). These drawings are some of the earliest known Japanese comic art (Ito 458).

During the eleventh century, CE, a priest named Toba Sojo painted what is now referred to as "the Animal Scrolls" (Ito 458). These scrolls, or "choju giga," feature rabbits, monkeys and other animals "in silly activities, including farting contests" (Aoki). This satirical look at the lives of Buddhist monks is also an early example of drawings depicting events in sequential order. When unrolled the scrolls present the images in order from right to left, a reading technique that is still employed in reading manga today (Aoki). The Toba Sojo Scrolls in their entirety are currently available for viewing online.

While this type of parody and satire may seem irreverent to some, Japanese people found (and still find) great humor in Toba's scrolls. In the West, Japanese people are often stereotyped as being "serious, reserved, diligent" or "calculating, oversexed, [and] cunning" (Ito 456-7). However, according to Kinko Ito, the people of Japan "are humorous, witty and funny...once they bring down the formal façade that they project to others, especially foreigners" (457). Toba's scrolls show that this love of satire and parody have a long-standing place in the history of Japan.

Manga during 1603-1867: Satire was a new beginning for manga. Satire was introduced in manga during the mid-seventeenth century, the Tokugawa period (1603-1867). There is a little story behind a well-known manga, Ostu-e: the town of Otsu near Kyoto sold Ostu-e, or "Otsu pictures," to commoners and people who were traveling on the main road from Kyoto to the north (Ito 458). According to Thatcher's Expert Day Presentation, Ostu-e began as a simple story with an inspiration of Buddhist folk art. This manga had a specific genre for prayer, as Buddha was a strong central point of their culture at the time. Tokugawa government was actively persecuting Christians and that, my friends, influenced manga to be satire, secular, and sometimes scandalous which appealed to many of the purchasers.

Furthermore, during the Genroku (1688-1704) and Kyoho (1716-1736) periods, a popular manga has joined the history of manga, "Akahon." That name literally means a "red book" which has led to a genre during the two time period (Macwilliams 29). There were manga that were commonly referred to the colors of the books; those books, however, has a true genre to it, and it is folk tales and fairy tales. The colors have led a great influence for the future manga. In 1765, Harunobu Suzuki started multicolor woodblock printing which has marked the beginning of the golden age of ukiyo-e color prints. Katsuskhika Hukusai was well-known for sketches and dynamic compositions in the ukiyo-e style. The masterpieces of Hokusai's were "The 36 Views of Mt. Fuji" which illustrated for novels, and other paintings/drawings of beauties and samurais (MacWilliams 29).

Akahon was a picture book based on fairy and folk tales such as "The Peach Boy," "The Battles of the Monkey and the Crabs," "The Sparrow's Tongue," "Click-Clack Mountain," and "How the Old Man Lost His Wen" (Ito 459). However, Akahon changed its audience from children to adults, and the book remained its consistency of pictures and not text.

Manga during 1736-1912: The Meiji Era was a time period in which Japan ended the Shogun feudal system and brought back imperial rule (keldjoran). While the majority of popular manga in the 18^th century satirized Japanese political figures, it wasn't until 1853, when Commodore Perry, a U.S. naval officer, introduced Japan to the western world, that manga would begin its evolution (Aoki).

"Prior to [...] 1868, Japanese artists usually drew themselves with small eyes and mouths and variable proportions [...]" (Schodt, 60), but as new western ideas began to infiltrate Japanese traditional values, manga and its artists became influenced and inspired by imported artistic styles such as French and English political cartoons (keldjoran). These styles found in magazines Toba-e and The Japan Punch, soon had artists blending western comics with Japanese ideas (Aoki).

"At the dawn of the 20th century, manga reflected the rapid changes in Japanese society [...]" (Aoki). Influential artists that contributed to the development of modern manga include: Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849), whose iconic woodblock printed images and sketchbooks display the best early examples of humor in Japanese art (Aoki); Rakuten Kitazawa (1876-1955), who "[...] founded Tokyo Puck, a magazine showcasing Japanese cartoonists" (Aoki); and Ippei Okamoto (1886-1948), "[...] the founder of Nippon Mangakai, the first Japanese cartoonists society" (Aoki).

1912- Present: Towards the end of the Meiji Era, Rakuten Kitazawa created the first Japanese comix strip. Kitazawa is considered "the founding father of modern manga” (Aoki). During the transition from the Meiji to the Showa period, Ippei Okamoto was another pioneer who embraced Western influences and founded the “Nippon Mangakai” (Aoki). It was the first Japanese cartoonist society. The number of growing artists soon faced a change that altered the current themes they were once accustomed to when World War I started in 1914.

In 1915 the “Shonen Club” was established as a magazine for young children to read (Aoki, History of Manga- Manga goes to War). World War I ended in 1919; however it left an impression on the cartoonist who then sought to teach the youth about the patriots’ sacrifice for their country. Miyazaki Ichiu created stories in 1922 through the Shounene Club. His stories depicted “Japanese valour and the Yamato spirit” (Griffiths). During 1923 Shojo Club mangazine was founded to appeal to the feminine populous. Eventurally manga was used for propaganda in World War II.

In 1931 Henry Yoshitaka Kiyama’s book “The Four Immigrants Manga” was published in Japan and then it was brought to San Francisco. It was on of the first modern comic book styles in the United States. Kodansha, in 1931, was a publishing company that produced Tagawa Suiho’s Norakuro which is about a black dog that takes up arms to fight. The point of the story was to teach the children of Japan the value of sacrificing oneself for their country and learn the importance of valor on the battlefield. “Ganbatte” which means “do your best” was the phrase children cried out after reading Norakuro (Aoki, History of Manga- Manga goes to War). “Shin Nippon Mangaka Kyokai” was a government supported trade organization that all forms of cartoonist had to join (Aoki, History of Manga- Manga goes to War). This was the start of using mangakas or manga artists for propaganda purposes in 1937.

In 1946 Osamu Tezuka’s first work to be serialized as a professional was called Diary of Ma-Chan. It is about Ma-chan and his friend Ton-Chan and their life in post WWII Japan. Also during that year Hasegawa Machiko was one of the pioneering female manga artists of the time. She made Sazae-san which was serialized in Asashi newspaper. It was about family life from a housewife’s perspective to extended family. Akabon” or “red books” first appeared in 1947 and was known for their extensive use of red ink to add tone (Aoki, History of Manga- Manga goes to War). These books were cheap and it gave many struggling manga artists their big breaks. For example Osamu Tezuka was one of those individuals. Shin Takarijima by Sakai Shichima and Osamu Tezuka is one example of many akabons.After World War II ended, there were numerous of manga magazines invented: Manga kurabu (manga club), VAN, Kodomo manga shim bun (Children's Manga Newspaper), Kumanbati (The Hornet), Manga shonen (Manga Boys), Tokyo Pakku (Tokyo Puck), and Kodomo Manga kurabu (Children's Manga club) (MacWilliams 35). However, the boom of these specific manga only lasted so long -- three years. The main factors for this manga boom not lasting for long are because of the suffrage they experienced after war; most Japanese were hungry and poor.

The first few decades in the Showa period showed much growth artistically. It was not until the 1950s that manga blossomed into the vast world it had created. Osamu Tezuka was a major driving force for the manga industry. He provided a solid foundation in which future mangakas could use as a reference in creating their own stories. To countless individuals he was known as the “God of Manga” (Gravett 24). In the 50s decade Tezuka had found a beginning with releasing “Astro Boy” also known as “Mighty Atom” and countless other works, however his efforts did not come in to full fruition until the 60s. During that time his work “Jungle Taitei” or Kimba the White Lion was the first of his work to be animated in full color in 1965 (Gravett 30). Osamu Tezuka’s career in manga allowed him to expand the genres that were once so limited due to government interference. He showed all of Japan that manga does not end with childish stories, but can evolve to a cultural gold mine for readers of all ages.

Then the ‘70s rolled around when a new genre entered the world of manga. This specific genre, shojo manga, grabbed many young girls' attention; in the manga, there were cute heroines who were beautifully drawn which made the pictures so captivating to young girls. The year of 1972 was a good year for many of the female artists who desired to become successful in the manga industry. Many of the female artists bloomed that year and began drawing for the female audiences. Maki Miyako was the first to emphasize the " gekiga" or "ladies comics" manga style (Masami). During the early 1970's, manga was heavily focused on Japan's success, specifically in the area of sports. In 1964, their volleyball team won the gold medal which has given the manga industry ideas for themes: sports. Mark MacWilliams gives us an example of a manga magazine, Sainwa V and Attaku namba. Those two stories included "sportsmanship, friendship, injuries, fights, falling in love with a handsome male coach, competition, jealously, dogged efforts, and any other human emotions involved in winning games" (MacWilliams 40). Those theme have given new morals for Japanese readers: "to preserve in any situation and to always work hard in order to accomplish one's goals" (MacWilliams 40). This new moralistic idea has led women to be modern career people, but also a greater attraction for love stories. One of the women's favorites during that time was "The Rose of Versailles." This manga was a series created by Riyoko Ikeda, and it is an epic story that dealt with French court in the years and days leading to the French Revolution. Later in the 70's, the theme went a little deeper--sexuality. Sexuality as being the theme was especially focused on male homosexuality. Because men began to read manga, specifically businessmen, there was then manga with a genre of academic or educational. This time of genre is referred to "information manga" (MacWilliams 42). There were quite a few additions of genres into the culture of manga as well as to their history. The 1970s was the time of change and growth of passion for many manga readers.

In the 1980s a new market trend started that became beneficial to many mangakas. “Comiket” or “Comike” is short for comic markets where amateur artists sell their original works (Masami 28). This was a medium that gave an opportunity to those who wanted to join the industry and be discovered by one of the well known publishing companies. One famous group to come from this is the group called CLAMP which consists of four mangakas name Igarashi Satsuki, Ohkawa Ageha, Nekoi Tsubaki, and Mokona. Akira by Katsuhiro began its serialization in the 80s. Akira was the first manga to be translated in its entirety in English. It was in this decade that many of the well known manga artists released some of their break out works. For example Dr. Slump by Akira Toriyama who later created Dragon Ball and Dragon Ball Z. The manga Maison Ikkoku by Rumiko Takahashi lead to the artist’s work on Inuyasha.These manga artists obtained successful careers through the rising publishing company "Shueisha Publishing"(Thorn). Their " Weekly Shonen Jump" magazine growth kept the number one rank in circulation around Japan well through to the present day (Thorn). Countless titles from the 80s soon became the catalyst to expanding the industry in the United States.

From the 1990s to the present, manga had become an industry in which occupies 40% of sales dealing with books and magazines (Schodt). In Japan itself manga had been integrated into the daily lives of the people, however the biggest feat for these forms of art was the growing influence in the United States. Before its popularity there was only a few titles that ever made it to the U.S. let alone be translated to its entirety. Companies like Viz Media and Tokyopop leading the manga industry in America it is no surprise that smaller companies would appear to cash in on titles that have not been licensed by the two juggernauts. Popular titles from Japan that have been introduced to the Western civilization in the last decade have been well received by the public. Not only did titles like Bleach, Naruto, and Pokemon entrance the young generation of the 90s, the adolescence also became smitten with the comics from the East. This results in the continuous growth of the industry and its expansion to reaching readers on an international level. This would not have been achieved if it were not for the efforts of numerous manga artists who continue their serializations to this day.

Works Cited

Aoki, Deb. "Early Origins of Japanese Comics." About.com. The New York Times Company. 2010. Web. 27 Feb. 2010.

Griffiths, Owen. "Militarizing Japan: Patriotism, Profit, and Children’s Print Media, 1894-1925." 22 September 2007. The Asian-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus. 5 March 2010

<http://www.japanfocus.org/-Owen-Griffiths/2528>.

Keldjoran, . "Art In Japan." Squidoo. Squidoo, LLC and respective copyright owners, Web. 3 Mar 2010.

Kinko, Ito. "A History of Manga in the Context of Japanese Culture and Society." Journal of Popular Culture V. 38 No. 3 (February 2005)

P. 456-475, 38.3 (2005): 456-475. Web.

MacWilliams, Mark W. "Manga in Japanese History." Japanese Visual Culture Explorations in the World of Manga and Anime. Armonk:

Masami, Toku. "Shojo Manga! Girls' Comics! A Mirror of Girls' Dreams." Mechademia 2: Networks of Desire (2007): 19-32.

Sanders, Joe. California State University, San Bernardino. English 315 Japanese Comics and Animation. 13 Jan. 2010. Lecture.

Schodt, Frederik. Dreamland: Japan: Writings on Modern Manga. Berkeley: Stone Bridge Press, 1996. Print.

Thorn, Matt. Manga-gaku. 2005. 15 March 2010 <http://www.matt-thorn.com/mangagaku/history.html>.