COMIC BOOKS – A Manga about Manga Creators: Bakuman

 Simpsons Quote:

“I’ve spent my entire life doing nothing but collecting comic books… and now there’s only time to say… LIFE WELL SPENT!” – Comic Book Guy

Man, they make Manga about EVERYTHING.  Case in point, I recently started reading a Manga about two guys who create Manga.

AND IT’S GOOD.  Who would have thought that making a Manga about the process of making a Manga would be so compelling and fun.

In this week’s post I’m going to be talking about this series of books.  You can either watch the video or read the post below. Either way, it’s the same info:

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The Manga about Manga

I went to the Pasadena Central Library and picked up a Manga called Bakuman. Bakuman is about to guys who decide to become professional Manga creators.  I’ve actually found it be fascinating.

It’s a Manga from the same creative team who created the Death NoteManga, which was turned into two live action films and an animated cartoon.

One of the things I like about it is that it’s a story.  It’s entertainment, BUT it’s also “infotainment.”   You get information about what tools are used, the process of making a Manga, what the writing process is like, what the editorial process is like, how the magazine gauges popularity, how Manga assistants work,…etc.  On top of that, at the end of every chapter you get roughs.  You get the what they call storyboards, which is a type of illustrated script. This is taken by the artist and tightened up a bit more.  You get to see this process at the end of every chapter.

It’s one of the many things you find out through out the Manga.

Lot’s to Learn About

This is read from right to left, Japaneses style.

There’s a lot of information here. Specifically on how to get published in Shonen Jump. Shonen Jump is a Manga anthology magazine in Japan written for boys.

On of the big driving factors for the characters in the book is to become so popular in Shonen Jump, that their Manga becomes animated.

As I wrote before, they talk about the editorial process.  They really go into how to get an editor, what you show an editor, the relationship between the editor and the artists, what the editors functions are, what the artists functions are, what the magazine is looking for, how the magazine judges stories and artwork, what gets published, how it gets published, how you become popular. I mean, by issue three they even start talking about what the “secret ingredient” is to keep, not only the readers happy but what you need to do to make something that might actually be a hit.

Being a Creator

Who knew creating Manga could be so dramatic.

Which I find incredible. It’s very cool, specially if you’re in that world already of coming up with stories and ideas. The discussions that the characters have about that stuff is great.  It so obvious that it’s the creators of the Manga that are talking about this to the readers, based on their experiences drawing Manga. And it’s done through this story, and none of it feels forced.  It’s great.

It goes through the ups and downs of being a creator.  But it shows you what it’s like to be a creator in a different culture.  At least different from mine. I’ve worked in the comic book industry and have done professional comics, and what the characters in the Manga go through is very different from what I’ve gone through. Yet, there’s so much that’s the same.

If you’re a creator of comics, it would be a great read, if only to see what creating comics in a different comic book culture is like.  While seeing what overlap is what similar struggles there is.

Yeah, so I highly recommend Bakuman.

Get Back to Me

Let me know if you pick the book up based on my recommendation, or if you’ve read it already.  I’d really like to know what you think of it.

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