Manga 101

Reading comics has been a popular hobby for so many people of all ages, particularly in Western countries. While some read comics while commuting to and from their work or school, some folks make reading or collecting comics a habit; it has even become an obsession for other people. I can still remember the time wherein my friends and I would really do our best to either convince our parents to buy us certain comics or let us lend from our neighbors. Comics is indeed a good way to past up the time while also enhancing your imagination.

For Japanese people, comics is called manga; meaning, whimsical images. Manga has been available throughout the beginning of the 20th century; however, it was only after the World War II that it became so famous and in demand. It's because manga, for both the ordinary citizens and the artists themselves, has been their way of dealing with the anxiety and devastation brought about by the war. From then on, manga, followed by the creation of various anime, became a crucial part of the Japanese society.

The manga's existence can be traced down from the Japanese tradition of narrative art or telling stories with a series of sequential images. As such, the use of scroll paintings heavily-influenced the manifestation and boom of manga. Japanese comics are commonly attributed to Toba Sojo, an 11th-century painter-priest with a whimsical sense of humor. Toba's choju giga or animal scroll paints have become a part of manga's or Japanese comics' prominent history.

Later on, Shimoboku Ooka created the Toba-e or “Toba pictures” as an acknowledgment of Toba Sojo's influence on manga. Toba-e is an 18th century style of humorous images bound in books which relied on visual humor and the use of few words in an accordion style.    

Katsushika Hokusai, a famous 19th century ukiyo-e or "floating world pictures" artist and printmaker is perhaps the first one to make use of the term "manga" when he referred to some of his comic sketches as "careless" (man) "drawings" (ga). He was one of the many influential artists in the development of modern manga. Hokusai is known all over the world for his woodblock print images, particularly the "The 36 Views of Mount Fuji."  

to be continued... :D

The History And Evolution of Anime

Anime is a term coined from the word "animation." When you say anime, it simply means a form or subset of animation that originated in Japan. In English usage, anime is a term that usually refers to the type of animation made in Japan; but when in Japan, anime is a general term for animation. Although some anime can be rooted from various manga, not all anime have a manga version as its origin. As I've mentioned in my previous post regarding anime, some anime were created after popular video games or live-action TV series. And some manga(s) were made out of its corresponding anime.

It is during the 20th century when anime began to flourish. Japanese filmmakers experimented with their techniques and combined some techniques that influenced them from various countries like Russia, France, Germany and the United States. 

In the past, anime were usually hand-drawn; but ever since the introduction of computer-assisted drawing techniques and computer-generated images, the production of anime has become faster, easier and more artistic. Anime caters to all genres of fiction; so basically, anime is not necessarily childish as a lot of series were made to catch the interests of both male and female adults. 

Osamu Tezuka is perhaps the most recognized precursor to both manga and anime. Disney's early animation influenced him so much as well as the works of the Flesicher Brothers. Osamu Tezuka made it all possible to introduce and expand the growth of anime and manga. 

Tezuka was the first to make a novel-length drawn story or graphic novel in 1947 with the title of "Shintakarajima", or "New Treasure Island." Astro Boy or "Testuwan Atom" was also Tezuka's creation which was said to be the first internationally-acclaimed animation. Along with Toei Animation (which Tezuka had worked with as a character designer), Tezuka's Mushi Productions was among the first in Japanese animation studios. 

The oldest known anime in existence was first screened in 1917 – a two-minute clip of a samurai trying to test a new sword on his target, only to suffer defeat. The first talkie (sound film) anime was Chikara to Onna no Yo no Naka, produced by Masaoka in 1933. The first feature-length animated film was Momotaro's Divine Sea Warriors directed by Seo in 1945.

Anime started to separate itself from the influence of western animation during the 1970s. It progressed so advance that it caught the interest of many in just a matter of time. Unique genres were added such as Mecha or the use of giant robots. Notable shows in this period include Lupin III and Mazinger Z. This was also the reigning perod of Hayao Miyazaki and Mamoru Oshii.