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Manga! Manga!: The World of Japanese Comics
Since first published in 1983, Manga! Manga!: The World of Japanese Comics has been the book to read for all those interested in Japanese comics. It is virtually the "bible" from which all studies and appreciation of manga begins. More than that, given the influence of Japanese manga on
animation and on American-produced comics as well, Manga! Manga! provides the background against which these other arts can be understood. The book includes 96 pages from Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix , Reiji Matsumoto's Ghost Warrior , Riyoko Ikeda's The Rose of Versailles , and Keiji Nakazawa's Barefoot
Gen .
animation and on American-produced comics as well, Manga! Manga! provides the background against which these other arts can be understood. The book includes 96 pages from Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix , Reiji Matsumoto's Ghost Warrior , Riyoko Ikeda's The Rose of Versailles , and Keiji Nakazawa's Barefoot
Gen .
260 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
35 people are currently reading
771 people want to read
About the author
Frederik L. Schodt
44 books37 followersFrederik Lowell Schodt is an American translator, interpreter and writer.
Schodt's father was in the US foreign service, and he grew up in Norway, Australia, and Japan. The family first went to Japan in 1965 when Schodt was fifteen. They left in 1967 but Schodt remained to graduate from Tokyo's American School in Japan, in 1968. After entering the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1970 Schodt returned to Japan, and studied Japanese intensively at International Christian University (I.C.U.) for a year and half. He graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1972, and after a brief bohemian stint at a variety of jobs and traveling became a tour guide in Los Angeles for Japanese tourists, also escorting them to Canada and Mexico. After trying to interpret for a group once at Sunkist, he realized that he could become an interpreter, but needed further training. In 1975, he was awarded a scholarship from Japan's Ministry of Education, to return to I.C.U. and study translation and interpreting. After finishing his studies at I.C.U. in 1977, he began working in the translation department of Simul International, in Tokyo. In mid-1978 he returned to the United States, and since then has worked in San Francisco as a free-lance writer, translator, and interpreter.
While working in Tokyo in 1977, he joined with several university friends in contacting Tezuka Productions. They sought permission to translate the Phoenix comic into English. Schodt is notable in manga and anime fandom for his translations of works such as Osamu Tezuka’s Phoenix, Tezuka’s Astro Boy, Riyoko Ikeda’s The Rose of Versailles, Keiji Nakazawa’s Barefoot Gen, and others.
His best known book is Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics, published in 1983 and reprinted several times, with an introduction by Tezuka. Manga! Manga! won a prize at the Manga Oscar Awards in 1983. Furthermore, in 2000 Schodt was awarded the Asahi Shimbun’s Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize "Special Prize" for his outstanding contribution to the appreciation of manga worldwide.
Schodt's father was in the US foreign service, and he grew up in Norway, Australia, and Japan. The family first went to Japan in 1965 when Schodt was fifteen. They left in 1967 but Schodt remained to graduate from Tokyo's American School in Japan, in 1968. After entering the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1970 Schodt returned to Japan, and studied Japanese intensively at International Christian University (I.C.U.) for a year and half. He graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1972, and after a brief bohemian stint at a variety of jobs and traveling became a tour guide in Los Angeles for Japanese tourists, also escorting them to Canada and Mexico. After trying to interpret for a group once at Sunkist, he realized that he could become an interpreter, but needed further training. In 1975, he was awarded a scholarship from Japan's Ministry of Education, to return to I.C.U. and study translation and interpreting. After finishing his studies at I.C.U. in 1977, he began working in the translation department of Simul International, in Tokyo. In mid-1978 he returned to the United States, and since then has worked in San Francisco as a free-lance writer, translator, and interpreter.
While working in Tokyo in 1977, he joined with several university friends in contacting Tezuka Productions. They sought permission to translate the Phoenix comic into English. Schodt is notable in manga and anime fandom for his translations of works such as Osamu Tezuka’s Phoenix, Tezuka’s Astro Boy, Riyoko Ikeda’s The Rose of Versailles, Keiji Nakazawa’s Barefoot Gen, and others.
His best known book is Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics, published in 1983 and reprinted several times, with an introduction by Tezuka. Manga! Manga! won a prize at the Manga Oscar Awards in 1983. Furthermore, in 2000 Schodt was awarded the Asahi Shimbun’s Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize "Special Prize" for his outstanding contribution to the appreciation of manga worldwide.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
April 15, 2015
Very interesting and highly recommended book for every manga fan. F.L.Schodt introduces his readers into traditional and cultural background of manga and Japanese pop-culture in general. It's not a new book, so it doesn't include many new names and titles, that grew into fame after 90-ies (no Evangelion, no Ghost in Shell, not even Sailor Moon was mentioned), but it's still very informative and worth a read.
October 2, 2022
An outstanding book. In a time - the early 80's - when Japanese comics were basically unknown to the West, Frederik L. Scholdt had already managed to give us an all-embracing portrait of the medium of manga: its history and pre-history, its multitude of genres, its creators, its publishing industry, its readers and, more importantly, its web of relations with post-WWII Japanese society and cultural trends. It is a snapshot of manga and Japan as of 1985, so of course it does not cover the development of the medium in the last decades. But even with that in mind, forty years later this book remains a reference. It reads like a work of anthropology.
It is also technically well written. Scholdt's prose is simple and charming. The book takes the Western reader by the hand and brings them gently into something that, at the time of publication of the study, was a completely alien cultural phenomenon. (With the partial exception of a certain mainstream success of anime - the tv counterpart of manga - in Italy, France and other European countries already in the late 70's.) Fascinating to read that now, when the phenomenon is not only part of Western cultures, but even a booming one.
It is also technically well written. Scholdt's prose is simple and charming. The book takes the Western reader by the hand and brings them gently into something that, at the time of publication of the study, was a completely alien cultural phenomenon. (With the partial exception of a certain mainstream success of anime - the tv counterpart of manga - in Italy, France and other European countries already in the late 70's.) Fascinating to read that now, when the phenomenon is not only part of Western cultures, but even a booming one.
September 9, 2009
As a westerner who lives in Asia I must daily align my cultural background and biases to that of my host country . . . it is the West that embodies the idea of modernism (aesthetically, architecturally, industrially, etc.), and therefore, ironically, exports the idea of post-modernism as the pre-eminent conceptual framework (mind-set) of contemporary urban societies . . . but who is to say what is truly important or what is simply imposed on places, like Hong Kong, that have yet to fully digest (and react to) these aesthetic and philosophical trends?
This is why Japan is such a fascinating place - with its own history of explicitly barring foreign influence while completely absorbing Chinese culture, a country that did not allow the importation of European books until the mid 1700s, but that has now made the comic book it own wildly successful form.
Manga! Manga! is an excellent, stand-out book on the history of Japanese comics, going way back to temple graffiti and traditional scroll paintings, through the graphic efforts that emulated England's Punch magazine, all they way up to all the disparate manga genres of today that, yes indeed, exemplify post-modernism: super-hero school boys and the dramatic lives of sushi chefs. The text explains, among other things, how Japanese characters are used as a graphic element in Manga, and Yukio Mishima's proud critiques of his country's Manga productions.
The BONUS is that the end of the book includes four very different styles of Manga translated into English! So it's not just explication but entertainment!
This is why Japan is such a fascinating place - with its own history of explicitly barring foreign influence while completely absorbing Chinese culture, a country that did not allow the importation of European books until the mid 1700s, but that has now made the comic book it own wildly successful form.
Manga! Manga! is an excellent, stand-out book on the history of Japanese comics, going way back to temple graffiti and traditional scroll paintings, through the graphic efforts that emulated England's Punch magazine, all they way up to all the disparate manga genres of today that, yes indeed, exemplify post-modernism: super-hero school boys and the dramatic lives of sushi chefs. The text explains, among other things, how Japanese characters are used as a graphic element in Manga, and Yukio Mishima's proud critiques of his country's Manga productions.
The BONUS is that the end of the book includes four very different styles of Manga translated into English! So it's not just explication but entertainment!
June 20, 2017
Excelente livro para se compreender a cultura que embasa a produção e o consumo dos mangás. Digno da cabeceira de todo estudioso do ramo.
July 10, 2025
Коли я вперше побачив уривки книги Фредеріка Шодта «Манга, Манґа. Світ японських коміксів», то я точно зрозумів, що мушу це прочитати. Так, як на свій вік, у 2025 вона дещо не актуальна (книга вийшла у 1983 році). Та все ж, у ній достатньо того чого я люблю - багато опису та прикладів робіт того періоду.
Фредерік Шодт відомий передусім як перекладач манґи Тедзуки, та деяких інших класичних творів.
Книга загалом розповідає про становлення манґи, її розвиток під час другої світової, становлення шьоненів та шьоджьо, зачіпає тему еротики в коміксах та тодішній стан видавництва і видавців. І звісно надії на майбутнє індустрії. (Хехе, в сучасному манґопокаліпсисі).
Тут дійсно багато ілюстрацій, виписав собі деякі роботи, щоб можливо спробувати дещо знайти. Тішить, що американський ринок взявся перевидавати класику. Он нещодавно Tomorrow Joe та Legend of Kamui перевидали.
Цікаво хто у нас за таке візьметься. Зараз у нас певно найстаріше - Дух в оболонці та Блам? Босоногого Гена в розрахунок не беремо.
Фредерік Шодт відомий передусім як перекладач манґи Тедзуки, та деяких інших класичних творів.
Книга загалом розповідає про становлення манґи, її розвиток під час другої світової, становлення шьоненів та шьоджьо, зачіпає тему еротики в коміксах та тодішній стан видавництва і видавців. І звісно надії на майбутнє індустрії. (Хехе, в сучасному манґопокаліпсисі).
Тут дійсно багато ілюстрацій, виписав собі деякі роботи, щоб можливо спробувати дещо знайти. Тішить, що американський ринок взявся перевидавати класику. Он нещодавно Tomorrow Joe та Legend of Kamui перевидали.
Цікаво хто у нас за таке візьметься. Зараз у нас певно найстаріше - Дух в оболонці та Блам? Босоногого Гена в розрахунок не беремо.
April 25, 2019
I ran across this book in a comic shop a few months ago and remember how I had often seen references to it. I thought I should finally read it, however I decided not to that night, last week I finally laid my hands on it...
It is a good introduction and survey of the origins and artistic context of Japanese Manga, it looks at some of the historic artwork of Japan that can be associated with later Manga and also the particular history of Japanese comics in terms of things such as editorial cartoons and short serialized comic strips and the emergence of longer story comics. It also describes some milestone comics and representative samples of various genres, Shonen (boys) comics to Mah Jong comics. There is also discussion of the work style of various manga artists. Only material up to when the book was written in 1983 is discussed and while there is detailed discussion of some genres others receive only a brief mention such as mecha (stories about giant robot or other high tech paraphernalia).
The author has a real appreciation for the material and also as far as I can tell a solid background in the subject matter. He gives a good introduction into the sometimes esoteric world of Manga, Japanese art and culture more generally from the perspective of an American who has spent a great deal of time learning about these things. He is mostly concerned with discussing the variety and impact of Japanese comics in Japan, but there reception and influence elsewhere especially in America but also in Europe and Asia is discussed. The book is mostly free of citations and footnotes, but includes an index and a list of references at the back.
There are a few statistics on sales in the industry and the like added later I believe in the first paperback edition and there is an added 1997 introduction by the author that gives a quick run down on how things have changed in 14 years. Obviously much has changed since then again. Even so the book provides an interesting background to those wishing to achieve a better understanding of Japanese comics and related media.
The main section of the book is mostly text but there are more than 204 images interspersed with this (mostly panels from manga but including photographs of various creators and other images) to illustrate, demonstrate and reference the comics and themes being discussed. Some images take up much of a page, others are placed in the margins, the margins also contain captions and text boxes with short asides summarizing some manga or an interview with some creator. The margins are about 2/5 of the page and so when there is no image or text they may stand empty, most pages have at least a small text caption in the margin, but on one or two pages the margins flanking the text are completely blank. The forwards, anthology of comics and back matter (index, references and last words) dispense with the margins. Most of the book is black and white but appropriately (as it mimics the presentation of some manga collections) the first few pages are in colour and present various images used in the book and covers of some notable manga, in full colour.
After the main text, the book contains excerpts from four comics Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix, Reiji Matsumoto's Ghost Warrior, Riyoko Ikeda's The Rose of Versailles and Keiji Nakazawa's Barefoot Gen. These comics help illustrate some of the ideas of the main text and give the reader a taste of Japanese Manga (which would have been much more difficult for an English audience to get in 1983 than in later years) and are relatively enjoyable on their own also. They are in black and white as is representative of manga.
A few interesting artifacts of its early date occur. For example the title of the manga Kozure Okami is translated Wolf and Child, rather than the title Lone Wolf and Cub it would eventually be adapted and published under in English.
It is a good introduction and survey of the origins and artistic context of Japanese Manga, it looks at some of the historic artwork of Japan that can be associated with later Manga and also the particular history of Japanese comics in terms of things such as editorial cartoons and short serialized comic strips and the emergence of longer story comics. It also describes some milestone comics and representative samples of various genres, Shonen (boys) comics to Mah Jong comics. There is also discussion of the work style of various manga artists. Only material up to when the book was written in 1983 is discussed and while there is detailed discussion of some genres others receive only a brief mention such as mecha (stories about giant robot or other high tech paraphernalia).
The author has a real appreciation for the material and also as far as I can tell a solid background in the subject matter. He gives a good introduction into the sometimes esoteric world of Manga, Japanese art and culture more generally from the perspective of an American who has spent a great deal of time learning about these things. He is mostly concerned with discussing the variety and impact of Japanese comics in Japan, but there reception and influence elsewhere especially in America but also in Europe and Asia is discussed. The book is mostly free of citations and footnotes, but includes an index and a list of references at the back.
There are a few statistics on sales in the industry and the like added later I believe in the first paperback edition and there is an added 1997 introduction by the author that gives a quick run down on how things have changed in 14 years. Obviously much has changed since then again. Even so the book provides an interesting background to those wishing to achieve a better understanding of Japanese comics and related media.
The main section of the book is mostly text but there are more than 204 images interspersed with this (mostly panels from manga but including photographs of various creators and other images) to illustrate, demonstrate and reference the comics and themes being discussed. Some images take up much of a page, others are placed in the margins, the margins also contain captions and text boxes with short asides summarizing some manga or an interview with some creator. The margins are about 2/5 of the page and so when there is no image or text they may stand empty, most pages have at least a small text caption in the margin, but on one or two pages the margins flanking the text are completely blank. The forwards, anthology of comics and back matter (index, references and last words) dispense with the margins. Most of the book is black and white but appropriately (as it mimics the presentation of some manga collections) the first few pages are in colour and present various images used in the book and covers of some notable manga, in full colour.
After the main text, the book contains excerpts from four comics Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix, Reiji Matsumoto's Ghost Warrior, Riyoko Ikeda's The Rose of Versailles and Keiji Nakazawa's Barefoot Gen. These comics help illustrate some of the ideas of the main text and give the reader a taste of Japanese Manga (which would have been much more difficult for an English audience to get in 1983 than in later years) and are relatively enjoyable on their own also. They are in black and white as is representative of manga.
A few interesting artifacts of its early date occur. For example the title of the manga Kozure Okami is translated Wolf and Child, rather than the title Lone Wolf and Cub it would eventually be adapted and published under in English.
October 21, 2022
This book provides such a rich and thorough history of manga, how it evolved, and how it continues to evolve. Even though it's several decades out of date, I don't think there's a better resource out there for anyone interested in manga's origins. Schodt is a powerhouse and leaves no stone unturned in his research.
Learned a lot of wild stuff about manga, too much to put in one review. One thing that jumped out at me: In 1988, Japan had seven manga magazines dedicated solely to Mahjongg stories. As an American, that is bananas. If I wanted to read a comic that isn't 1) about superheroes 2) for children or 3) something that was made purely to pitch as a tv series, I'd have to get the printer paper out and make it myself.
It's very interesting that the end of the book reflects on the future of manga (as of 1988), and the author hypothesizes that manga will likely never have a huge appeal outside of Japan, due to cultural differences, the difficulty of reformatting text, and how they read from right to left. I can't blame him for thinking that, since he wrote this book just a couple years shy of DBZ and Sailor Moon making an entire generation of kids cool with anime and, by association, manga. Anyway, just so strange to see someone having trepidations about manga's place outside of Japan when, in the past several years, manga has practically eclipsed American comics in America.
Learned a lot of wild stuff about manga, too much to put in one review. One thing that jumped out at me: In 1988, Japan had seven manga magazines dedicated solely to Mahjongg stories. As an American, that is bananas. If I wanted to read a comic that isn't 1) about superheroes 2) for children or 3) something that was made purely to pitch as a tv series, I'd have to get the printer paper out and make it myself.
It's very interesting that the end of the book reflects on the future of manga (as of 1988), and the author hypothesizes that manga will likely never have a huge appeal outside of Japan, due to cultural differences, the difficulty of reformatting text, and how they read from right to left. I can't blame him for thinking that, since he wrote this book just a couple years shy of DBZ and Sailor Moon making an entire generation of kids cool with anime and, by association, manga. Anyway, just so strange to see someone having trepidations about manga's place outside of Japan when, in the past several years, manga has practically eclipsed American comics in America.
October 6, 2009
Andrew Peyrie, my good Goodreads friend, turned me on to this, and he has a stellar review posted.
Schodt writes from experience. He is the author of several other works on Japanese culture, especially as related to graphic arts, and also translated the Osamu Tezuka's 'Astro Boy' series for the American market. 'Manga! Manga!' is justifiably considered a standard source for research on Japanese comics. My only complaint is that it needs to be updated. Since its publication in 1983, manga has had a far stronger influence in our country, as can be seen by a quick look in the graphic novel or young adult sections of bookstores and libraries.
However, it's a work that is still relevant, and its overview of the history of the Japanese comics industry, which has had a much greater impact on their culture than the American comic industry on ours since World War II, is invaluable.
It also contains some fascinating nuggets of information. I learned that it was Hokusai who coined the term 'manga,' that Japanese writing with its ideogrammatic basis not only predisposes the Japanese zeitgeist toward visual story-telling, but in its original form contained a forerunner of the modern smiley face, and that western graphic artists living in Japan in the Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century had a significant impact on that country's publishing.
Additionally, 'Manga! Manga!' is chock full of fantastic illustrations, and in an appendix contains long excerpts from four masters: Osamu Tezuka, Riyoko Ikeda (shojo magazines for girls get a chapter in the main text), Keiji Nakazawa (my first opportunity to see the powerful and influential 'Barefoot Gen' about Hiroshima) and Reiji Matsumoto.
A chapter on Japanese norms and attitudes regarding morality and transgression called 'Regulation versus Fantasy' left me with more questions than answers. I am just as perplexed as Paul Theroux, whom Schodt quotes, by children 'serenely' reading 'distressing' comics that routinely depict 'decapitations, cannibalism...in general, mayhem,' and the strange (to my American eyes) Japanese blend of permissiveness and Puritanism. Maybe some things can't be explained.
I recommend reading this with Yoshihiro Tatsumi's 'A Drifting Life,' which gives the reader a personal and autobiographical slant on the post-war development of Japanese comics. Schodt just gives a quick nod to Tatsumi as the originator of 'gekiga' (drama pictures), but he is fantastic.
Schodt writes from experience. He is the author of several other works on Japanese culture, especially as related to graphic arts, and also translated the Osamu Tezuka's 'Astro Boy' series for the American market. 'Manga! Manga!' is justifiably considered a standard source for research on Japanese comics. My only complaint is that it needs to be updated. Since its publication in 1983, manga has had a far stronger influence in our country, as can be seen by a quick look in the graphic novel or young adult sections of bookstores and libraries.
However, it's a work that is still relevant, and its overview of the history of the Japanese comics industry, which has had a much greater impact on their culture than the American comic industry on ours since World War II, is invaluable.
It also contains some fascinating nuggets of information. I learned that it was Hokusai who coined the term 'manga,' that Japanese writing with its ideogrammatic basis not only predisposes the Japanese zeitgeist toward visual story-telling, but in its original form contained a forerunner of the modern smiley face, and that western graphic artists living in Japan in the Nineteenth and early Twentieth Century had a significant impact on that country's publishing.
Additionally, 'Manga! Manga!' is chock full of fantastic illustrations, and in an appendix contains long excerpts from four masters: Osamu Tezuka, Riyoko Ikeda (shojo magazines for girls get a chapter in the main text), Keiji Nakazawa (my first opportunity to see the powerful and influential 'Barefoot Gen' about Hiroshima) and Reiji Matsumoto.
A chapter on Japanese norms and attitudes regarding morality and transgression called 'Regulation versus Fantasy' left me with more questions than answers. I am just as perplexed as Paul Theroux, whom Schodt quotes, by children 'serenely' reading 'distressing' comics that routinely depict 'decapitations, cannibalism...in general, mayhem,' and the strange (to my American eyes) Japanese blend of permissiveness and Puritanism. Maybe some things can't be explained.
I recommend reading this with Yoshihiro Tatsumi's 'A Drifting Life,' which gives the reader a personal and autobiographical slant on the post-war development of Japanese comics. Schodt just gives a quick nod to Tatsumi as the originator of 'gekiga' (drama pictures), but he is fantastic.
July 1, 2014
El libro escrito por Frederik L. Schodt es un trabajo excelente, no por su extensión que es muy pequeña, sino por la dificultad de conseguir materiales que hablen sobre la teoría del cómic japonés y su historia.
Sin embargo, este libro ha quedado desfasado (su primera edición es del año 1986). Su estilo es claro y con numerosas referencias para las personas que desconocen sobre el tema. Además, añade tres capítulos de tres mangas clásicos para complementar su lectura.
Recomiendo otro libro escrito por el mismo autor y que se enfoca en aspectos teóricos: Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga.
Sin embargo, este libro ha quedado desfasado (su primera edición es del año 1986). Su estilo es claro y con numerosas referencias para las personas que desconocen sobre el tema. Además, añade tres capítulos de tres mangas clásicos para complementar su lectura.
Recomiendo otro libro escrito por el mismo autor y que se enfoca en aspectos teóricos: Dreamland Japan: Writings on Modern Manga.
December 2, 2021
It's been so long since I last read this... Though a touch dated, it's still probably the most accessible and informative title on the topic.
June 18, 2018
Back in the early 1980s, manga and anime fandom was tiny, with almost no material being available in English save dubs heavily edited for American children’s television and expunged as much as possible of their Japanese roots. It required a certain amount of determination, luck and a little madness to collect these foreign entertainments. One of the first cracks in the dam was this book, published in 1983. (The edition I am reviewing is the 1986 paperback with updated sales figures.)
The book begins with a look at the manga industry itself, the insanely high sales figures, the wide variety of genres and the demographics covered. This is compared to the relatively tiny and narrow American comic book market. (To be fair, Japan was going through an economic boom and the U.S. comics market would do much better in the latter half of the Eighties, but it’s still striking.)
From there we proceed to the history of manga, starting from the delightful Animal Scrolls of the 12th Century. While there was a thriving culture of humor magazines with cartoons and political cartoons, magazines with just comics were primarily for children until after World War Two. Then there was a phase where independent non-children’s manga were primarily made for the pay library market. But with cheaper printing processes and especially the mass-market success of Osamu Tezuka, weekly and monthly manga anthologies sold at newsstands became the standard format.
The chapters that follow cover general themes found in manga: The samurai spirit and Japanese tradition, often translated into modern-day sports. Romance and emotional drama catering to girls and women. Business comics both dramatic and silly. And taboo-breaking manga, dealing with subjects from sex to teen rebellion against society.
There’s another chapter on the details of the industry, showing how artists, publishers and accountants work together to produce the manga everyone loves to read.
And then a chapter on the future of manga. This is naturally the one that’s most interesting in retrospect. Mr. Schodt predicted that manga would never become successful in America due to the difficulties of translation and resistance to foreign goods. He thought only a handful of classics would ever be brought successfully to market, and primarily for the scholarly venues. As it turned out, there was in fact a tremendous thirst for manga, which just needed to find the right distribution channel.
The book closes out with four manga samples. The first is a brief interlude from Osamu Tezuka’s classic Phoenix in which a sculptor has a vision of the undying bird. Reiji Matsumoto’s Ghost Warrior is a complete story about two Japanese soldiers separated from their units during World War Two. (Note: sexual situations.) Ryoko Ikeda’s The Rose of Versailles is represented by the chapter where Marie Antoinette refuses to talk to Madame DuBarry, setting off a diplomatic crisis. Keiji Nakazawa’s searing Barefoot Gen depicts the events of August 6, 1945 in Hiroshima. (Note: Horrific depictions of injury and corpses.)
There’s a brief index and bibliography at the back, and plenty of illustrations throughout.
This is an excellent introduction to the subject of manga, and a snapshot of what the industry looked like in the mid-1980s. Younger readers may be a bit disappointed by the dated material–many of today’s top creators weren’t even born when this book was published! Still, recommended to anyone with an interest in manga as a primary text.
The book begins with a look at the manga industry itself, the insanely high sales figures, the wide variety of genres and the demographics covered. This is compared to the relatively tiny and narrow American comic book market. (To be fair, Japan was going through an economic boom and the U.S. comics market would do much better in the latter half of the Eighties, but it’s still striking.)
From there we proceed to the history of manga, starting from the delightful Animal Scrolls of the 12th Century. While there was a thriving culture of humor magazines with cartoons and political cartoons, magazines with just comics were primarily for children until after World War Two. Then there was a phase where independent non-children’s manga were primarily made for the pay library market. But with cheaper printing processes and especially the mass-market success of Osamu Tezuka, weekly and monthly manga anthologies sold at newsstands became the standard format.
The chapters that follow cover general themes found in manga: The samurai spirit and Japanese tradition, often translated into modern-day sports. Romance and emotional drama catering to girls and women. Business comics both dramatic and silly. And taboo-breaking manga, dealing with subjects from sex to teen rebellion against society.
There’s another chapter on the details of the industry, showing how artists, publishers and accountants work together to produce the manga everyone loves to read.
And then a chapter on the future of manga. This is naturally the one that’s most interesting in retrospect. Mr. Schodt predicted that manga would never become successful in America due to the difficulties of translation and resistance to foreign goods. He thought only a handful of classics would ever be brought successfully to market, and primarily for the scholarly venues. As it turned out, there was in fact a tremendous thirst for manga, which just needed to find the right distribution channel.
The book closes out with four manga samples. The first is a brief interlude from Osamu Tezuka’s classic Phoenix in which a sculptor has a vision of the undying bird. Reiji Matsumoto’s Ghost Warrior is a complete story about two Japanese soldiers separated from their units during World War Two. (Note: sexual situations.) Ryoko Ikeda’s The Rose of Versailles is represented by the chapter where Marie Antoinette refuses to talk to Madame DuBarry, setting off a diplomatic crisis. Keiji Nakazawa’s searing Barefoot Gen depicts the events of August 6, 1945 in Hiroshima. (Note: Horrific depictions of injury and corpses.)
There’s a brief index and bibliography at the back, and plenty of illustrations throughout.
This is an excellent introduction to the subject of manga, and a snapshot of what the industry looked like in the mid-1980s. Younger readers may be a bit disappointed by the dated material–many of today’s top creators weren’t even born when this book was published! Still, recommended to anyone with an interest in manga as a primary text.
August 27, 2025
I can't emphasize enough what an important piece of pop scholarship this must have been when it came out in 1983. As one of the first books to introduce Japanese comics (or manga) to a widespread English-speaking audience, this must have been an absolute revelation. Schodt not only traces the history of the medium, but also breaks down different subgenres, explores the business side of the Japanese comic industry, offers several translated excerpts, and contrasts how both cultural forces and government regulations impact comics in Asia versus the Western World. In the pre-internet days, this was likely the best one could get without actually learning the language and going to Japan.
And, yet, hindsight always has the unfortunate ability to see things more clearly than they were in the past. Manga! Manga! had the poor luck to be finished just before the release of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (early 1982) and Akira (late 1982), and later decade works like Dragon Ball (1985) and Ghost in the Shell (1989). These series (and their film and TV adaptations) would, arguably, have the biggest impact on the West, helping to usher in the rapid adoption and consumption of manga and anime the world over.
To read Manga! Manga! in 2025, then, is slightly disorienting because it doesn't mention many of the monumental works that English-speaking audiences would likely know. But that doesn't change the wealth of information that is present, tracing the origins of Japanese cartoons from the Kabuki tradition through the propaganda years of World War II to Japan's post-war boom era. And while the stats given about the comic industry in the 1980s are all obviously outdated, they provide an interesting time capsule of where the medium was at the time -- and how far it still had to go.
And, yet, hindsight always has the unfortunate ability to see things more clearly than they were in the past. Manga! Manga! had the poor luck to be finished just before the release of Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (early 1982) and Akira (late 1982), and later decade works like Dragon Ball (1985) and Ghost in the Shell (1989). These series (and their film and TV adaptations) would, arguably, have the biggest impact on the West, helping to usher in the rapid adoption and consumption of manga and anime the world over.
To read Manga! Manga! in 2025, then, is slightly disorienting because it doesn't mention many of the monumental works that English-speaking audiences would likely know. But that doesn't change the wealth of information that is present, tracing the origins of Japanese cartoons from the Kabuki tradition through the propaganda years of World War II to Japan's post-war boom era. And while the stats given about the comic industry in the 1980s are all obviously outdated, they provide an interesting time capsule of where the medium was at the time -- and how far it still had to go.
November 12, 2019
This is a must read for every manga fan and for anyone interested in comics and visual arts. The book explain the manga phenomenon from its origins as “irresponsible drawings” to the global market it has become. It is important to note that this book was written in the 80s so you won’t find the most recent trends and most famous titles here, it would be nice to have an updated edition with some additional chapter. However all basic genres are covered and it includes some chapters from Phoenix by Tezuka, Ghost Warrior by Leiji Matsumoto, The Rose of Versailles by Ryoko Ikeda and Barefoot Gen by Keiji Nakazawa.
September 25, 2023
Great and passionate introduction to manga and its history.
I especially liked the glimpses of how this impressive publishing industry works. In 1983, when the book was first published, they were still on the way up to the peak of the 1990s.
I think this book was quite influential in the US and Europe, as the resource on manga, and that the works and artists mentioned in it therefore became the ones “one should know,” like a common reference for people interested in Japan and manga. Maybe they all read this book. (Just a feeling.)
I especially liked the glimpses of how this impressive publishing industry works. In 1983, when the book was first published, they were still on the way up to the peak of the 1990s.
I think this book was quite influential in the US and Europe, as the resource on manga, and that the works and artists mentioned in it therefore became the ones “one should know,” like a common reference for people interested in Japan and manga. Maybe they all read this book. (Just a feeling.)
February 20, 2024
Nearly 40 years old, this overview and history of Manga is as relevant as ever.
Frederik L. Schodt is immersed in the medium and an authority on showcasing its rich history up until the 80s.
It's very readable and includes tons of reference images to help showcase the visual medium.
Recommended for any manga, anime, or comics fan.
Frederik L. Schodt is immersed in the medium and an authority on showcasing its rich history up until the 80s.
It's very readable and includes tons of reference images to help showcase the visual medium.
Recommended for any manga, anime, or comics fan.
June 28, 2017
This is a very informative book about the development of the manga industry in Japan as well as the history of library publishing there. I really liked the manga excerpts they had at the end, too. Definitely worth reading even though it's not a recent resource.
Read
January 4, 2020study
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2020
Very comprehensive. Read for my dissertation
June 1, 2020
Manga Manga
January 7, 2022
manga is just a japanesse comic
July 21, 2022
Fascinating and brimming with information on everything manga
August 18, 2022
I got this book for my theses back in college and it was incredible useful. Is one of the greatest documents on early history of modern manga and I recommend it to anyone who loves this art form.
March 12, 2024
Bien chevere, incluso los adelantos de mangas de esa epoca.
January 11, 2017
The only criticism I have of this book is that it was written in the mid-1980s and so some of the conclusions are no longer valid, but that happens with any comprehensive work, especially if the author makes the mistake of attempting to predict the future. Frederik Schodt does a great job of looking at specific examples of manga--individual series, magazines and popular trends--to explain the culture that creates and is shaped by manga. One benefit of reading multiple books on a given subject--anime and manga--is that you (or at least I) retain the information better and all of the books will present titles that other ones miss. For instance, there was a popular trend of magazines and manga series about Mahjong and Pachinko, in addition to a number of gag strips about salarymen that were not included in the other books I've read, though they've been referenced as a genre generally. Also includes some selections from notable manga at the end of the book, definitely recommend this title and anything by Schodt.
January 24, 2021
Как-то по работе мне пришлось довольно плотно столкнуться с индустрией манги и аниме (вообще, в области entertainment это вполне нормально, когда разные зоны индустрии развлечений взаимопроникают: множество игр и фильмов сделаны по аниме, и наоборот). При этом я никогда не мог бы сказать, что был фанатом этого жанра (в отличие от моих старших дочек). В детстве у нас особо никаких комиксов не было, не говоря уже о японском их проявлении в виде манги, а всё знакомство с аниме ограничивалось парой мультфильмов, допущенных на экраны кинотеатров СССР. Я вот пусть и смутно, но запомнил два: "Таро, сын дракона" (очень мне понравился в детстве), и позднее просмотренный "Кругосветное путешествие кота в сапогах". Но вот только не знали мы тогда, что это аниме.
Далее: https://knari.by/2021/01/24/manga-manga/
Далее: https://knari.by/2021/01/24/manga-manga/
July 2, 2013
I bought this book while I'm writing my dissertation about manga and I wanted to start from the basic. Schodt's work is the first of a long series of book about that matter.
What I found interesting was the perspective the author used for this book. He knew he was going to present something extremely new to a public which didn't know absolutely nothing about Japanese comics and had a completely different idea of comics.
I don't agree with the Schodt only towards the end when he writes that it will be almost impossible to translate lots of Japanese comics into other languages because the cultural differences are too wide. I've been reading comics for 16 years now, which is more that half of my age, and I've read about anything. Japanese mythology or playing Go or Japanese history. And all of these was translated into my language.
In addition, Schodt said that according to him the tropes of manga where difficult to understand for an American audience because they were not used to them. By tropes I mean, for example, the little drop that appear on the face of a manga character when something doesn't go as planned or the fact that people got a nosebleed when they are aroused. Schodt's comment was really American-centered because I'm not American and still I find it more difficult to read American comics rather than manga. I probably miss some of the tropes that are common for US readers and the boards are something built in a weird way and I have to think which way to read and that doesn't happen when I read a manga.
To conclude, I give this book four stars only because it's an outdated book. The reader should read something newer after this one but as introduction into the world of manga is perfect.
What I found interesting was the perspective the author used for this book. He knew he was going to present something extremely new to a public which didn't know absolutely nothing about Japanese comics and had a completely different idea of comics.
I don't agree with the Schodt only towards the end when he writes that it will be almost impossible to translate lots of Japanese comics into other languages because the cultural differences are too wide. I've been reading comics for 16 years now, which is more that half of my age, and I've read about anything. Japanese mythology or playing Go or Japanese history. And all of these was translated into my language.
In addition, Schodt said that according to him the tropes of manga where difficult to understand for an American audience because they were not used to them. By tropes I mean, for example, the little drop that appear on the face of a manga character when something doesn't go as planned or the fact that people got a nosebleed when they are aroused. Schodt's comment was really American-centered because I'm not American and still I find it more difficult to read American comics rather than manga. I probably miss some of the tropes that are common for US readers and the boards are something built in a weird way and I have to think which way to read and that doesn't happen when I read a manga.
To conclude, I give this book four stars only because it's an outdated book. The reader should read something newer after this one but as introduction into the world of manga is perfect.
June 9, 2009
It was interesting to read about the origins of manga, as I read it when I was younger, my brother read it when he was younger, and my mother read it when she was younger.
Manga aren't just comics that children read, but a huge media form in Japan. That said, let's hope readers put away the stereotypes reading manga has in their own countries (as I know the stereotypes in America are pretty negative). Also, the norms about what is shown and censored are different (for example, some of the anime shown on [Adult Swim:] are actually children's anime in Japan).
There were some images that I didn't care for (the drawn porn) but hey, all countries have their different presentations of pornography (2girls1cup comes to mind). I had to read this for my Japanese history class, and the only thing I fear to hear from other students are judgemental comments about Japanese people and culture.
I only wish there was an updated version of this book. Though I have read some of the manga mentioned (discovering boxes of my mother's and uncles' manga whenever I visited my grandparents' house), the "modern" manga mentioned in the book reflects my mother's youth, not mine or my brother's.
Manga aren't just comics that children read, but a huge media form in Japan. That said, let's hope readers put away the stereotypes reading manga has in their own countries (as I know the stereotypes in America are pretty negative). Also, the norms about what is shown and censored are different (for example, some of the anime shown on [Adult Swim:] are actually children's anime in Japan).
There were some images that I didn't care for (the drawn porn) but hey, all countries have their different presentations of pornography (2girls1cup comes to mind). I had to read this for my Japanese history class, and the only thing I fear to hear from other students are judgemental comments about Japanese people and culture.
I only wish there was an updated version of this book. Though I have read some of the manga mentioned (discovering boxes of my mother's and uncles' manga whenever I visited my grandparents' house), the "modern" manga mentioned in the book reflects my mother's youth, not mine or my brother's.
April 28, 2009
Good introduction to Manga and its relationship with the Japanese psyche. Reflections on the history of cartooning in Japan, WWII, and the modern Manga industry are provided though it is a bit dated around the 1980s. Unique archetypes include "kiddie porn, samurai exam crammers, Yakuza assassins, expressionistic axe-murderers, etc." There are sample comics at the end to read.
July 7, 2020
This book had a lot of older examples of Japanese manga. Several I was not familiar with and even a few I had never heard of. It is a great look at the manga industry and would make a good resource for someone doing a report/history of manga.
May 24, 2008
Open the world manga!
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