Manga is a true art form!

Guided tour of the exhibition Manga is a true art form! at the MNAA-GUIMET.

The meaning of the term manga, appeared at the end of the 18th^th century, has evolved considerably from its initial meaning of various drawings executed by artists, to that of caricature, and then to that of comic strip. If the masters of 19th-century printmaking^th century, artists such as Hokusai (1775-1849) or Kyōsai (1831-1889) created sequential series where humor and the staging of movement were very present; it was at the end of the 19th^th The transition took place in the 19th century. Under the Meiji era, Japan's opening up led to a modernization of the print media, which drew inspiration from Western satirical newspapers. Under the impetus of Charles Wirgman (1832-1891), an English correspondent for the Illustrated London News in Japan, appears The Japan Punch which is aimed at an expatriate readership. Japan is undergoing rapid change, and Georges Ferdinand Bigot (1860-1927) publishes his humorous drawings in his magazine. TobaeIt is in this context that the work of Kitazawa Rakuten (1876-1955) developed, who founded, in 1902, the Tokyo Puck intended for a Japanese readership. It contributes to the birth of modern manga, in its sense of "comic drawing" before taking on the meaning of comic strip.

Charles Wirgman. The Japan Punch. Yokohama.1867.

Kitazawa Rakuten. Tokyo Puck. No. 33. 1907.

Kitazawa Rakuten. Tokyo Puck. No. 33. 1907.

Kamishibai bicycle equipped with its small wooden theatre. Japan. 1934.

An intermediate form is also the kamishibaiThis technique, which appeared between the two world wars, used a set of illustrated panels to accompany a story told by a storyteller and intended for a young audience. The panels were inserted into a wooden frame evoking a theater. The stories included monsters, detectives, pirates, robots, etc.

During the same period, the explosion of the popular press and printing led to the emergence of manga aimed at both young people and adults. The first manga were presented in the form of comic strips in periodicals where they tell a story on a single page. Comic books based on Western models also appear, such as Norakuro by Tagawa Suiho (1899-1989), the story of a soldier dog that reflects the militarization of Japan in the 1930s.

Tagawa Suiho. Norakuro. Original plate. Volume 7. 1945. India ink, colored inks and collage on paper.

Osamu Tezuka. The Land of Robots. Astro Boy. 1964. Publisher Kodansha.

Tezuka Osamu. Opening illustration of the chapter Astro Boy: The Gaseous Phantom. 1952. Ink on paper.

Kazuo Kamimura. Lady Snowblood, bathing on the Sumida River. Ink, gouache on paper. 1972.

After 1945, production became more structured, with Osamu Tezuka (1928-1989) as its central figure. He industrialized storytelling and democratized the medium with his series of...Astro Height among other things. Its influence would shape genres and layouts. The synergy between manga and anime was so pronounced in the 1960s that series were created specifically for both mediums. This was also the period when we distinguish the shonen for young boys, the shoujo for young girls, the seinen/josei for adults, etc.

Shirato Sanpei. Kamui-Den. Original artwork. Volume 1, chapter 5. 1964-67. Ink on paper.

Mizuki Shigeru. The Phantom Car. Original artwork from Kitaro the Repulsive. 1959-1969. Ink drawing on paper.

Ikeda Riyoko. The Rose of Versailles. 1972-73. Photographic reproduction.

The 1960s saw the birth of the movement gekiga This new style features more realistic artwork, a degree of violence, social themes, and a narrative aimed more at young adults. It has seen widespread adoption within the manga industry. In the late 1950s, a worldview linked to feudal Japan, samurai, ninjas, and rōnin emerged. This trend was championed by manga artists such as Shirato Sanpei (1932-2021) and Hirata Hiroshi (1937-2021). Mizuki Shigeru (1922-2015) drew inspiration more from folklore, particularly yōkai (goblins, monsters, demons, and spirits), while Ishinomori Shōtarō (1938-1998) drew from science fiction and superheroes.

As mentioned previously, manga shoujo are primarily aimed at a young female audience and Princess Sapphire Osamu Tezuka's work is based on a fantastical and adventurous narrative that paved the way for other manga artists such as Riyoko Ikeda (born in 1947) with The Rose of Versailles.

Shonen manga is currently the most widespread and one piece Eiichiro Oda (born in 1975) has enjoyed the same success since 1997 and continues his career.

One of the first ten Dragon Ball publications in the weekly shonen magazine JUMP. 1984-88. Publisher: Shueisha.

Toei Animation/bird studio based on Toriyama Akira. The Encounter with Gyumao. Dragon Ball Saga. 1988-89. Cel, gouache and pencil.

Eiichiro Oda. First Appearance of the Dragon Kaido. Facsimile of an original One Piece page. 2019. Publisher: Shueisha.

With the widespread adoption of color television in the 1970s, best-selling books were almost always adapted for television, and a lasting collaboration developed between animation studios and comic book publishers. Thus, the animated adaptation of Dragon Ball Z based on the work of Akira Toriyama (1955-2024), it will conquer the world, as will series such as goldorak, Captain Harlock ou Three Knights of the Zodiac which will be broadcast on television channels around the world.

Mythical creature (Tengu). Ritual dance mask (Kagura). Late 19th century. Carved and painted cedar wood.

Urokodaki, Tanjiro's master wearing the Tengu mask.

Goldorak. Figurine.

Julien David. Autumn-Winter 2016 Collection. Fabric printing.

The exhibition also highlights unexpected intersections: the influence of classical prints on contemporary manga, but also elements borrowed from Japanese culture, such as the horns of a samurai helmet appearing on that of Goldorak, or Tanjiro's master in Demon Slayer wearing a mask depicting a mythical creature (tengu), inspired by the one worn during the ritual dance Kagura.

It is clear that manga culture has far exceeded its origins, reaching an audience of both young and old. Its presence in toys, video games, accessories of all kinds, and even fashion, including haute couture, testifies to its profound evolution.