becoming a mangaka

I am a from india, my parents don't support me to become a mangaka, but I have a lot of passion for my art and manga so i truly want to become a mangaka.I am taking Japanese lessons too.
I have written a fairly enough good story and even done the name for it now I am starting with the real thing, doing the inking but i still don't know how good it is. I wanted to enter into the upcoming international manga awards but my story is a bit shounen type and a bit simple.but don't know is it up to the standard as it is my first manga. where else should I try and send? plzzz help.
Is it really impossible for an Indian to become a mangaka?

Hello taby23

I have recently bumped into the blog of this girl that actually moved to Japan and without much japanese managed to become a manga assistant!Apparently in each manga magazine (like shounen Jump), the manga artists post announcements of accepting assistants so you can apply for those! I do suggest though to actually go to Japan and do this!Most mangakas go through some contests and then being apprentices(assistants) and then actually become independent!

Here's the girl's blog
http://hinoai.livejournal.com/

I hope that helps a bit.
You just keep working towards your dream!!! (^_^)
GOOOOD LUUUUUUUUUCK!!!!!!!

Skill, persistence, timing, luck.

Todd McFarlane apparently received nearly 1000 rejections before he finally got his first minor position as a drawing assistant. And he is someone who would eventually alter the direction of comics in the USA.

Consider the global popularity of Japanese anime and manga culture.

There are 10's of thousands of others with the same dream. Any one job will have thousands of "qualified" candidates.

Admit you're not good enough, realize you need to work 3 times harder, accept that you're chasing the impossible, and commit to success or death in the pursuit thereof.

Being a foreigner pursing something distinctly Japanese can be both a boon and a bane. Sometimes being the "token" will get you in the door but if you are not good enough, people will grow tired of you, toss you aside, and no one will remember you the next day.

Read and draw a lot and work on your language skills!

Contact Felipe smith. He actually makes his own series Peepo Choo(and its doing very well)so he doesnt work as anyones assistant

im not an expert, but manga is still business. All it takes is talent and an idea that will sell. If you are good enough and if you have good idea's for a profitable manga, my guess is you'll end up right where you want

I don't live in Japan but I would like to submit my manuscript for the jump treasure but I it is written in english

do they accept entries in english from other contries?

I don't have any links on this topic on hand, but I will tell you what I feel based on experience. Not that I have ever wanted to become a comic artist, but I have lived with people wanted to be one.

If you have good ideas, and you are creative, that is the most essential thing to becoming a good mangaka. However, it is not important to becoming popular. To become popular, you need the hype. Don't worry about art skills, they are secondary and you can always work on them in your own time, if you feel that you are at a level to be able to make comics already.

You have to "sell yourself," make accounts on websites such as, deviantart, pixiv, etc, create your own blog, and website, showcasing your portfolio with your works. Starting an online comic is probably one of the best ways to get into the world of comic publishing, like "Fred Gallagher" the creator of "Megatokyo" did.

The important thing is to push your image and your work. If you don't do that, nobody will know you exist. If you are truly passionate, and you can find the proper way to use it, good things will come. It is important to gain a fan base, people who will look at your comics. You need to have "hype" about yourself, maybe even make yourself overrated.

That said, don't focus on making yourself big in Japan right now. Work on making yourself popular where you are [India] and if you choose to publicize yourself online, extend it to other countries where you can, such as US and UK. Having a pixiv account would help with making yourself known in Japan, but it is not foolproof. There are very many starving mangakas in Japan as it is, and Japan won't respond to someone knocking on their door if they don't have any popularity to back them up.

You will face a lot of fans and haters alike on they way, but I trust that you will know how to deal with them. There is a lot of hard work up ahead and I wanted to let you know what kind of work is involved. But it is possible to become a great mangaka! There are quite a few non-Japanese comic artists that became popular in Japan (most of them never lived there or knew the language, people translated their works into Japanese). But they were first popular elsewhere.

Don't give up on your dream, but make yourself informed! If you are really serious about this, eventually you will get what you want.

thank you Yubari-san your post really helped a lot. I will try my best and give my all for it.
arigato gozaimasu

I have sent you a private message. Please read.
I think if anyone want to be published in Japan, the first step today could be to attend the International manga contest
http://morningmanga.com/micc/rule_e.html

But of course, there are maybe some local companies that want to publish manga too.

If you have any samples of manga, please share with me.
I can give you our opinion.

thankyou for your suggestion to MICC I will be entering that competition but what I am making now is just for starters to enter the 5th international manga awards. but I have some really good story in mind for my next manga I am working on it too. when I finish with this one till mid May. as i read that the last date for submission to MICC is july end I will do another one till then. this first manga will be a good experience.
I have sent you a PM please do read it
thankyou.

sorry for being so hasty but I really want to improve and keep on drawing. my drawings are not good enough so please do point out where I need to improve. it will really be of good help.
thankyou very much.

You should work more your drawing. Details are really important. Your art style isn't stable yet. Draw a lot more.

As a manga reader, I suggest you read the manga ''Bakuman'', it is about a boy who wish to become mangaka.
A lot of details regarding how to draw a manga and create a good storyboard are explained. And you can see the art of one of the great mangaka.

Let me have a look your final result once finished.

thankyou very much for your suggestion I will work on my drawing and post you my final pages once done.
I have read Bakuman, it is that manga that inspires me the most and to work even harder.
I will work on the details too.
thankyou.