Originally published in The Voice of San Francisco in September 2025
Manga fever is coming to San Francisco via The Art of Manga, the highly-anticipated celebration of Japanese comics and graphic novels at the de Young. Even though manga is a global pop-cultural phenomenon, this is its first major exhibition survey in North America. The exhibition follows manga’s cultural impact from the 1970’s to today, and includes rarely presented original drawings (genga) by major artists, some which have never been on public view before.
The Origins of Manga
The evocative style of the manga genre has roots in the culture of Japanese painting forms, its stylized lines and movement borrowed from 18th and 19th century woodblock prints. The word Manga itself originated in the later 18th century and literally translates as “pictures run riot.” From the 1890’s through the 1920’s, manga’s beginnings were born out of Western printing methods, satire and cartooning coupled with Japanese traditional narrative formats such as kamishibai (street theater) as well as printed illustrated novels. Over time, this hybrid of cross-cultural visual influences continued its evolution during the post –WWII era with the American occupation of Japan, and the introduction of American culture and television, particularly Disney films. Sazae-san (Ms Sazae) by Hasegawa Machiko starting in 1946 and Tezuka Osamu’s Shin Takarajima (New Treasure Island) in 1947 ushered in the age of modern manga in Japan.
The exhibition begins with an introduction to manga, featuring works from early-generation manga artists Chiba Tetsuya (b. 1939) and Akatsuka Fujio (1935-2008). In this section, attendees are taught what manga is, its historical context, how it is read, and how it is created and consumed. A series of sections dedicated to individual artists, including Araki Hirohiko, Tagame Gengoroh, and Taniguchi Jiro, takes the viewer on a journey exploring manga artistic styles, genres, editorial and production processes, manga and identity, digital manga with an in-depth look at Kodansha’s digital service K MANGA, rights, piracy and fandom.
Art of Manga concludes with a presentation of the publishing company Shueisha’s innovative Shueisha Manga-Art Heritage (SMAH) initiative. SMAH converts manga into works that fans can own via limited –edition print runs created from original drawings that are linked to the blockchain in the form of nonfungible tokens (NFT’s). The section ends with a colorful collaboration between the mangaka Akatsuka Fujio and the artist Tanaami Keiichi.
Image-Driven Storytelling and Connection
“We are living in a time when the narrative shift from text to images is increasingly becoming a reality. By prioritizing images and line over text in its storytelling, manga cultivates an ease of visceral understanding that enables readership from around the world to enjoy the same stories,” remarked organizing curator Nicole Coolidge Rousmaniere, Research Director of the Sainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures, University of East Anglia. “Readers become invested in characters and their stories, and manga publishers and artists take their letters and social media comments into account and adapt the ongoing story or create new manga, which often then becomes a forerunner to greater cultural shifts.”
Manga artists and storytellers explore common themes across genres, from friendship to sexuality to the human condition. For this and many other reasons, manga is incredibly popular with people of all ages in Japan and all over the world. The fans and their engagement with the characters’ stories creates a feedback loop of inspiration for creators to move the genre forward in the spirit of mass communication.
ONE PIECE ONLY: How Manga is Made
An accompanying display shown for the first time in the US, visitors will get to experience the ongoing art series that is the ONCE PIECE manga series by Oda Eiichiro. Anyone wondering how art transforms from original drawings into serialized magazines and books will find their answers in this installation. In a step by step process, original art is scanned, and text elements are added including speech bubbles and sound effects. Pages are finalized with titles, leads and table of contents before printing. In this installation, chapters 1 to 1110 of ONE PIECE, cut directly from the manga, are mounted on fabric and laid out continuously on the gallery wall to create a unique immersive experience. Photographs, color proofs, and printing plates are displayed in “treasure Boxes” throughout the installation.
Manga Takes Over the Museum with Interactive Events
In keeping with manga’s playful spirit, Beshi the frog will guide museum visitors as the official exhibition mascot. Beshi, a slightly naughty but much-loved manga frog character created by Akatsuka Fujio is known to many from the popular Catch BESHI!! Nintendo Switch game.
80 Gashapon vending machines outside of the exhibition are there to check out, play and spin for a variety of cute capsule toys. Originating in Japan and now found in vending machines around the globe, Gashapon brings surprises with every turn of the handle.
Dress up as your favorite manga characters during cosplay days at the de Young on September 27, October 25 and December 6. With photo ops, manga merch, and epic vibes, it’s the ultimate experience for museumgoers and fans. Additional artist’s talks, symposiums and related events will take place throughout the duration of the exhibition.