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How is a manga artist born?
The world of manga is not just about illustrated stories, but an entire culture with millions of fans around the world. Behind every captivating story, every charismatic character, and every detail is one person or team – the mangaka. The path to this profession is not easy and is often accompanied by years of hard work, failures, sleepless nights, and constant self – improvement. This article is an attempt to show the entire path of a mangaka: from dream to publication.
The first step is to dream
Most mangaka start with a simple desire: to create their own stories. Inspiration often comes in childhood through exposure to cult series such as Naruto, One Piece, Death Note, or Attack on Titan. At this moment, a dream is born – to convey one’s own world through drawings and stories.
Self-study and practice
Even brilliant ideas are worthless without skill. Aspiring manga artists spend years perfecting their drawing technique, frame composition, anatomy, movement dynamics, and character emotions. Many do not have formal art education, so they teach themselves through video tutorials, books, analysis of other artists’ work, and online courses.
In addition to the artistic component, it is important to develop scriptwriting skills: how to build a plot, create tension, reveal characters, and maintain the rhythm of the story.
Creating a van shot or first story
The first serious project for a future manga artist is usually a one-shot – a short, complete story of 15–50 pages. A one-shot allows you to show yourself to editors and readers, try your hand at creating a full-fledged mini-manga, and test your skills. This stage is a test. Here, the mangaka learns to meet deadlines, work with an editor (if lucky), and most importantly, receives their first feedback from the audience.
Submitting work to journals
After the one-shot, the author can submit their work to competitions held by well-known publishers (Shueisha, Kodansha, Shogakukan, etc.). Winning a competition is one of the most realistic ways to break into the industry. But even if you don’t win, editors may notice your talent and
offer you a collaboration.
This is where the serious work begins – working on a serial manga. The author may be offered the opportunity to develop their one-shot or create a new concept.
Life in serialization mode
Serialization is a dream that turns into hell for many. Most popular magazines require new chapters to be released weekly. This is a frantic pace that forces mangaka to work 12-18 hours a day.
Often, authors do not work alone, but with a team of assistants who help with backgrounds, details, and inking.
This is where the real pressure comes in-series ratings, editor influence, fan expectations. If ratings drop, the series may be canceled. It’s a tough world, but those who survive gain recognition.
Evolution, adaptation, and fame
If a series becomes popular, adaptations appear on the horizon: anime, merchandise, films, games. The mangaka becomes a star – but the price of fame is high. Often it is fatigue, health problems (as in the cases of Togashi and Sorochi), and psychological pressure.
On the other hand, success allows the author to work on subsequent projects in more comfortable conditions. Some create studios, others become mentors to new talents.
Outside Japan: the path of manga artists in other countries
Today, being a manga artist does not necessarily mean living in Japan. Thanks to the internet, digital platforms (Webtoon, Tapas, Medibang, Pixiv) and social networks, authors from all over the world can publish their stories and find an audience. More and more international mangaka are being published in Japan (such as Boichi from South Korea or Tony Valente from France).
Conclusion:
The path of a mangaka is a marathon, not a sprint.
It is a combination of talent, discipline, creative pain, and a genuine love of stories. Success does not come immediately, but anyone who is willing to work, learn, and not give up has a chance to leave their mark on the world of manga.