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What should a young author choose?
In today’s world, where digital technologies are radically changing art, a young author who dreams of creating comics faces a difficult choice: to follow the path of classic Japanese manga or to choose the modern webtoon format, which is popular mainly in South Korea and beyond. Both directions have their advantages, difficulties, and audiences. But which is better for a beginner?
Culture and form.
Manga is a format deeply rooted in Japanese culture, with established rules: black-and-white design, reading from right to left, division into pages and panels. Webtoon is a digital format created for vertical reading on smartphones. Its structure is different: smooth scrolling, color illustrations, emphasis on emotionality.
These are not just different formats – they are two philosophies of storytelling. Manga is classic, disciplined, with attention to the composition of each page. Webtoon is experimental, flexible, and dynamic, reflecting a new era.
Opportunities for publication.
The reality is that it is extremely difficult to get into a Japanese publishing house, especially if you are not a Japanese citizen. The competition is fierce, the requirements are strict, and the deadlines are ruthless. But if you succeed, you enter the world of a serious industry where there is a chance for anime adaptation, merchandise, and fame. Webtoons open the door much wider: there are platforms such as Webtoon, Tapas, and WebComics where anyone can post their work. If the story is popular, the author may be offered official serialization and payment. This is a more democratic path, based on talent and perseverance, not just access to the industry.
Technical aspects.
Manga is usually created in black and white using screens (textures), hand-drawn blackening, or digital drawing. It requires an understanding of page composition, frame temporality, and dialogue readability.
Webtoons offer more freedom.
They often use color palettes, dynamic transitions, visual effects, and integrated music or animation. But this also places a greater burden on the author, who must not only draw but also adapt to the visual language of the platform.
Audience.
Manga still attracts traditionalists and fans of Japanese culture. This is an audience that expects high quality in terms of plot and artistic style. Webtoons, on the other hand, are more geared towards a younger, digital audience that reads on their phones and likes fast-paced
plots and expressive graphics.
So what should you choose?
It depends on the author’s goals.
If you dream of getting published in a Japanese magazine, want to learn the classic school of storytelling, and are ready for serious challenges, try your hand at manga.
If you want to start publishing faster, build an audience, experiment with style, and are interested in color graphics, webtoons are a great starting point.
You can create a masterpiece in either format. It is important not only to choose the form, but also to be sincere in your art.
Because readers can always sense when an author tells a story with soul.