Has manga lost its true identity?

Going global Manga is massively popular, but Dominic Carter wonders if its broad appeal has irredeemably altered the art form

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Manga's position as a cultural force has been steadily growing over recent decades. Yet in the past few years it's cut through like never before. Thanks to online resources and its elevated profile - aided in part by anime and live-action adaptations of seminal titles - manga is now more accessible than ever.

This popularity is good news for fans and artists, but it also represents a new chapter for the medium. One that arguably sees manga changed by its worldwide adoration as new creators are drawn to it and leave their own mark.

CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

Manga's origins lie in illustrated handscrolls from the 12th and 13th centuries, but manga as readers know it today can be traced back to the late 1800s. These multi-panel cartoons were a response to Western comics, highlighting that the medium has always had an international input.

For Asia Ladowska though, Japan's cultural essence is at the heart of manga. “Artists outside of Japan may approach manga with admiration, but they inevitably reflect their own surroundings and values,” she says.

Geizi Guevara agrees that Japanese manga is unique when it comes to its perspective. “Japanese artists are drawing from a long tradition and cultural rhythm that's unique to their society,” he says.

“When artists outside Japan, like me, pick up manga, we bring in our own experiences. That mix shows up in the stories, the colour choices, the way you frame characters. It doesn’t make it 'less manga', it just gives it another dimension. I see it as a dialogue between influences rather than a divide.”