Wondering when manga was actually made? You’re not alone, as the answer is more complex than a single date. Many people struggle to pinpoint the true origin of this beloved Japanese art form.
The answer to “when was manga made” is complex, with origins tracing to 12th-century narrative scrolls called Chōjū-giga. The word ‘manga’ first appeared in a 1798 publication. However, the first modern manga, featuring panels and recurring characters, was Kitazawa Rakuten’s Jiji Manga in 1902. The global art form we recognize today was largely shaped after World War II.
Based on extensive analysis of historical records, this guide unpacks the complete timeline of manga. You will discover the journey from ancient satirical scrolls to the cinematic revolution that defined modern comics. This systematic exploration will clarify how different eras contributed to the art form you enjoy today.
Key Facts
- Ancient Origins: The earliest artistic roots of manga are found in 12th and 13th-century scrolls known as Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga (“Scrolls of Frolicking Animals”).
- First Use of the Word: The term “manga” first appeared in a publication in 1798, used to describe the picture book Shiji no Yukikai by artist Santō Kyōden.
- Popularization of the Term: Famed ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai popularized the word starting in 1814 with his Hokusai Manga, a collection of thousands of “whimsical pictures.”
- Birth of Modern Manga: The first manga in a modern, multi-panel format was Jiji Manga, created by Kitazawa Rakuten as a newspaper supplement in 1902.
- The Post-War Revolution: Artist Osamu Tezuka, known as the “God of Manga,” redefined the industry after World War II with cinematic techniques and emotionally deep stories like Astro Boy.
When Was Manga Made? A Comprehensive Guide to Its Ancient Origins
The creation of manga doesn’t have a single date but is best understood as a multi-stage evolution spanning nearly a thousand years. According to historians, its history unfolds across several key milestones, each adding a crucial layer to the art form. This journey begins with ancient narrative art, moves through the coining of the word itself, and culminates in the post-war boom that created the global phenomenon we know today.
Understanding this complex history requires looking at distinct periods, each contributing a vital element. From satirical animal scrolls in the 12th century to the influence of Western comics in the early 20th century, each phase built upon the last. This progression is essential to appreciating how manga became such a rich and diverse medium.
To provide a clear answer, we can break down manga’s development into five critical stages:
* 12th-13th Centuries: The artistic precursors appear in the form of narrative picture scrolls called emakimono.
* 1798: The word “manga” is used for the first time in a published book.
* 1814: Katsushika Hokusai’s famous sketch collections popularize the term, though with a different meaning than today.
* 1902: Kitazawa Rakuten creates what is considered the first modern manga, using serialized panels to tell a story.
* Post-WWII Era: Osamu Tezuka and his contemporaries revolutionize the industry, establishing the artistic and narrative conventions of modern manga.
What Are the Earliest Known Ancestors of Manga from the 12th Century?
The earliest known ancestors of manga are the Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga, a set of four picture scrolls from the 12th and 13th centuries. These remarkable ink drawings, whose name translates to “Scrolls of Frolicking Animals,” are considered a Japanese National Treasure. Attributed to the monk Toba Sōjō, they depict animals like frogs, rabbits, and monkeys engaging in very human activities, from wrestling to conducting Buddhist ceremonies.
These scrolls are significant because they established several foundational elements of manga:
* Narrative Flow: They are read from right to left, establishing the direction still used in manga today.
* Visual Storytelling: The stories are told entirely through pictures without any text, relying on action and expression.
* Anthropomorphism and Satire: By using animals to parody the behavior of monks and nobles, they introduced a powerful form of social commentary.
While some scholars debate whether these scrolls are “truly” manga, their influence on Japanese visual storytelling is undeniable. They represent a critical starting point, showcasing a tradition of narrative art and satirical humor that would become central to manga’s identity nearly a millennium later. These priceless artifacts are preserved and entrusted to the Kyoto National Museum and Tokyo National Museum.
How Did the Word “Manga” Emerge and Evolve Before the 20th Century?
The term “manga” (漫画), meaning “whimsical pictures,” was first used in a publication in 1798 by the ukiyo-e artist Santō Kyōden for his picture book Shiji no yukikai. However, it was the legendary artist Katsushika Hokusai who truly popularized the word starting in 1814.
Hokusai’s famous collection of sketches, the Hokusai Manga, was a massive success. Spanning 15 volumes published between 1814 and 1878, these books contained thousands of drawings of everything from sumo wrestlers and animals to supernatural creatures and everyday objects. It’s crucial to understand that Hokusai’s “manga” was not a comic book with a single story. Instead, it was more like a master artist’s sketchbook, a collection of “impromptu drawings” intended to capture the essence of life with a free-flowing brush.
This original meaning of “manga” as a collection of varied, informal sketches persisted through the Edo period (1603-1867). The term would not take on its modern meaning of narrative comics until the dawn of the 20th century, but Hokusai’s work cemented the word in Japan’s artistic vocabulary.
How Did Modern Manga Begin in the Early 20th Century?
The birth of modern manga is credited to artist Kitazawa Rakuten in 1902. He created Jiji Manga, the first serialized comic strip published as a Sunday supplement for the newspaper Jiji Shinpō. It was here that the word “manga” was first used in its modern sense to describe narrative comics. For this reason, many historians regard Rakuten as the founding father of modern manga.
Inspired by American newspaper comics like The Katzenjammer Kids and The Yellow Kid, Rakuten adopted several key innovations that defined the modern format. Before Rakuten, manga-like works were typically single images or collections of unrelated sketches. His work introduced a revolutionary new structure:
* Panel-Based Storytelling: He used a sequence of panels, typically four or more, to create a clear narrative flow.
* Recurring Characters: His strips featured the first recurring characters in Japanese comics, such as two mischievous boys named Chame and Dekobō.
* Mass Publication: By publishing in a major newspaper, he brought manga to a wide, popular audience for the first time.
Rakuten’s great innovation was combining the traditional Japanese right-to-left reading direction with the Western format of paneled, serialized comic strips. This fusion created a unique medium that was both familiar to Japanese audiences and distinctly modern, setting the stage for all the manga that would follow.
How Did Osamu Tezuka Revolutionize Manga After World War II?
After World War II, artist Osamu Tezuka, known as the “God of Manga,” single-handedly revolutionized the industry by introducing cinematic storytelling and unprecedented emotional depth. Inspired by the fluid motion of Disney animation and American films, Tezuka moved manga beyond simple four-panel gags and into the realm of epic, novel-like narratives. His 1947 work New Treasure Island is often cited as the beginning of this new era.
Tezuka’s impact cannot be overstated. He developed a new visual language for comics that became the industry standard. His key innovations include:
* Cinematic Techniques: He used panels of varying sizes and shapes, dramatic close-ups, and different camera angles to create a sense of motion and heighten emotion, much like a film director.
* Complex Characters: He created characters with psychological depth and moral ambiguity, most famously in his groundbreaking 1952 series Astro Boy.
* Long-Form Story Arcs: He pioneered the concept of long, continuous narratives that could span hundreds or even thousands of pages, transforming manga into a medium for serious, long-form storytelling.
* The “Large Eyes” Style: He popularized the distinct style of drawing characters with large, expressive eyes to better convey a wide range of emotions, a feature that has become an iconic trademark of both manga and anime.
Tezuka’s work elevated manga from a simple pastime into a sophisticated art form capable of exploring complex themes like life, death, and morality. He laid the foundation for the entire modern manga and anime industry, and his influence is still felt in nearly every comic produced in Japan today.
FAQs About when was manga made
What is the difference between early ‘manga’ and modern manga?
The primary difference is in narrative structure. Early ‘manga’ from the Edo period, like the Hokusai Manga, was a collection of unrelated “whimsical pictures” in a book. Modern manga, beginning with Kitazawa Rakuten in 1902, tells a continuous story using a sequence of panels, recurring characters, and dialogue, similar to today’s comic books.
Is manga the oldest comic in the world?
This is a subject of debate among historians. Japan’s Chōjū-giga scrolls from the 12th century are one of the world’s earliest examples of narrative art. However, other cultures also have ancient traditions of sequential art. Because the modern comic book format developed in parallel across the globe, it’s difficult to name a single definitive “oldest” comic.
What does the word ‘manga’ literally mean?
The Japanese kanji for manga (漫画) translates to “whimsical pictures” or “impromptu sketches.” The character ‘man’ (漫) means ‘whimsical,’ and ‘ga’ (画) means ‘pictures.’ This name originally reflected the spontaneous, sketchbook-like quality of early works from artists like Hokusai before it came to mean narrative comics.
Who is more important: Hokusai or Tezuka?
Both are essential figures who are important for different reasons. Katsushika Hokusai was a master artist who popularized the word “manga” in the 19th century. Osamu Tezuka, the “God of Manga,” is revered for defining the modern art form after WWII with his cinematic storytelling, creating the foundation for the global industry.
Why is manga read from right to left?
Manga is read right-to-left because it follows the traditional direction of Japanese writing. Japanese text was historically written in vertical columns that were read from the right side of the page to the left. This ancient convention was carried over from narrative scrolls into printed books and remains the standard for manga today to preserve the artist’s original intended layout.
Did World War II affect how manga was made?
Yes, the post-World War II period was a critical turning point. The influence of American comics and Disney films brought in by U.S. forces heavily inspired artists like Osamu Tezuka. Additionally, Japan’s new 1947 Constitution guaranteed freedom of expression, which removed wartime censorship and led to a creative explosion in the publishing industry.
What was the first manga magazine?
While newspaper supplements existed earlier, the first magazines dedicated solely to manga appeared after the war. Weekly Shōnen Magazine, which launched in 1959, was one of the most influential early examples. These weekly publications created a massive, hungry market for manga and were instrumental in establishing genres aimed at boys (shōnen) and girls (shōjo).
What is the difference between manga and anime?
Manga refers specifically to Japanese comic books and graphic novels—the printed medium. Anime is the term used for Japanese animation, including TV shows and films. It is very common for a popular manga series to be adapted into an anime, which is how many international fans are first introduced to these stories.
When did manga become popular outside of Japan?
Manga’s global popularity began to surge in the late 1980s and exploded throughout the 1990s and 2000s. This growth was largely driven by the international success of their anime adaptations, such as Akira, Dragon Ball, and Sailor Moon. As fans watched the shows, demand for the original source material grew, leading to a boom in translated manga publishing worldwide.
Where are the oldest manga scrolls kept?
The original Chōjū-jinbutsu-giga scrolls are designated as Japanese National Treasures and are among the most important works of art in the country. For their preservation, they are entrusted to the Kyoto National Museum and the Tokyo National Museum, with high-quality reproductions often displayed at the Kōzan-ji temple in Kyoto, to which they originally belonged.
Key Takeaways: When Was Manga Made Summary
Understanding the origins of manga means appreciating its long and layered history. It wasn’t created in a single moment but evolved over centuries.
- Manga Has Multiple “Birthdays”: There is no single answer. Its artistic roots are in 12th-century scrolls, the word ‘manga’ was first used in 1798, and the first modern, paneled comic appeared in 1902.
- Ancient Roots in Satirical Art: The earliest precursors, the Chōjū-giga, used anthropomorphic animals to satirize society, establishing a foundation of visual humor and social commentary that echoes in manga today.
- The Word “Manga” Changed Meaning: Originally popularized by Hokusai to mean “whimsical sketches,” the term was later adopted by Kitazawa Rakuten to refer to the narrative comics we know today.
- Modern Manga Was a Newspaper Comic: The first true modern manga, Jiji Manga, was not a book but a serialized comic strip in a Sunday newspaper, taking inspiration from American comics of the era.
- The “God of Manga” Created the Art Form We Know: Osamu Tezuka is arguably the most important figure in manga history. He introduced cinematic techniques and emotional depth after WWII, transforming manga into a globally recognized art form.
- Reading Direction Comes from Tradition: The right-to-left reading order is not a random choice; it follows the traditional vertical writing system of the Japanese language, a practice that dates back centuries.
Final Thoughts on The Millennia-Long History of Manga
From satirical ink drawings of frolicking animals in the 12th century to the global multimedia empire it is today, manga has had a truly remarkable journey. It is not a recent invention but a rich art form with a history spanning nearly a thousand years. Each era left an indelible mark, building upon what came before.
The playful sketches of Hokusai, the modernizing panels of Rakuten, and the cinematic revolution of Tezuka all played a part in shaping this medium. By understanding this deep and multifaceted history, you gain a new appreciation for every panel you read. Manga is a testament to the enduring power of visual storytelling, a cultural treasure that continues to evolve while honoring its ancient roots.
