If you’ve never heard of Manga, that’s about to change.
The pop culture phenomenon from overseas has roots in Japan, and although Manga and Anime have been in the United States for two decades, it’s had a mostly cult following – but that’s changing by the day.
Manga refers to Japanese comic books or graphic novels. Anime includes movies, television shows, and streaming content of those comics or of original content. Themes range from romance to science fiction, to sports and so much more.
Perhaps Americans’ first big brush with Manga Anime was “Pokémon.”
Then there was Britney Spears’ 2007 Anime-influenced music video for her hit single “Break the Ice.”
Both are booming industries. The global Anime market brings in $24 billion annually. In the U.S., sales of graphic novels jumped 80% in the past year due to Manga and, in large part, because of COVID-19 restrictions. According to trends analysts, people have been binge reading at home.
Streaming services like Hulu and Netflix have entire sections devoted to Anime. Manga book series like “Dragon Ball” and “Demon Slayer” have now sold several hundred million copies.
PIX11 spoke with a Manga artist who showed us her work, and explained the craze with American fans. She’s known professionally as Misako Rocks. Misako Takashima was born and raised in Japan. Manga was a significant part of her childhood and culture.
“Some Manga is based on real event…
