How do I become a Manga Artist in Japan

You have to be able to draw. The internet is probably the best way to go (but people might steal your art). Do not listen to what friends and family say. They will not be honest. When I first started sketching my manga characters my family told me they were good. Looking back they sucked. Be very self critical accept nothing short of perfection from yourself. Read books on how to do it, tutorials help too. Practice until you have everything down. Don't even start until you are sure you can draw all of your characters and get other people to rate them. It is tough and hell even I'm discouraged after reading some of these comments and thats just bs by the way. There is no need to be so harsh. You have to have and interesting story and characters, I'm not saying I do (but its getting there). Work hard , send stuff to magazines. If your story and art are good you will make it. Maybe not big. Follow my saying {pessimisim pays} If its a bust, no problem you weren't expecting much anyway. But if it turns out good. Then you are completely estatic. Good Luck^^

I have a friend who is also an amazing artist and she wanted to enter the manga world as well. She found out very quickly that it was never going to happen unless she magically transformed into a Japanese person. So, I wish you the best of luck but it might be more realistic to try and get published in your native country.

To all of you who have manga in the making, be warned; it's anything but easy. I ,myself, have been working on my own for at least six months, and believe me, YOU MUST RELY ON YOURSELF, NOONE ELSE!!! The sketching, inking, toning, printing, and sponsorship will be totally up to you. Yes, people do make it, even us westerners. And if you are opposed to those who would chase this "pie-in-the-sky" dream, please at least be respectful to those who choose otherwise. Remember, the Godfather of Anime, Ozamu Tezuka, began with watching Walt Disney films, Bambi being his greatest inspiration! So follow the dream, and don't stop. If you truly do what you set out to do, you will find yourself in that great manga job you've been looking for. By the way, I've got a site set up if anyone would like to see my anime and an exerpt from my own manga. It's at www.rchirino1983.blogspot.com

Thanks again and don't give up!!

To those who ask the question of "Can foreigners make in Japan as Manga artists"? I can truthfully tell you that I ask the same question to myself, every day.

I am 17 years old, currently living in NY, New York. I started drawing manga when I was just in 3rd grade and I have been drawing and perfecting my style ever since. I curretly have several works and storylines that I have developed, 3 of which have been very popular in my highschools. I have all my work copywritten and I parcially know japanese. I have the skill and the imagination but my main problem of being a manga artist is FEAR.

I'm afriand that the publishers and readers in japan won't accept not only because I'm a foreigner but also because I'm african-american. I know not everyone is the same, but still, I'm afraid to even step foot in Japan with out being rejected right away. So my question is this:

Can I get over my fear? I should I just give up entirely? If someone knows the answer to his, please tell me, because I have absolutly no clue...

~Yanbanko

Being African American isn't likely to make any difference really, the stumbling block is being a foreigner. There are so many young Japanese people with the same aspiration that it would be a very hard industry to get into, particularly as language skills are so important and it is so hard to become fluent in written Japanese in particular.

As for being afraid to even set foot in Japan, I really recommend visiting just as a tourist first and staying as long as possible to really get to know what kind of society you would be dealing at- if you were successful your readers would be Japanese, right? Seems like it would be hard to know what they want to see/ read without getting to know Japanese people in their own country.

Can I ask, has any non-Japanese ever become a working manga artist in Japan? I'm guessing very few. If there have been some, what route did they take to get their work published in Japan- were they already well-known in their home countries? Seems like it would be very hard/ next to impossible to work up from ground level in the industry in Japan due to visa issues (there is not really a visa category that would allow you to do this kind of work) and language skills.

you know you are just like me but i am 15 and cant do too much without permission but yeah i have the same dream. my story is great and many people around me say that i am a great artist. i want my manga to be published in japan and then have it turned into an anime. i pray everyday that my dream will come true and believe it too. i for one hope your dream comes true too and both of our stories will become popular, and we can laugh at all of those jealous bums who said we couldn't or say "it's a long-shot" but if you enjoy what you are doing then your are willing to overcome any challenge. besides japan loves americans the have the english language everywhere much like how america has spanish everywhere. learning japanese would help but having a japanese friend would help even more ^_0. i may be only 15 but i carry alot of wisdom. oh yeah one more thing when we become popular manga and anime artists i hope that we will one day remember that we had this talk. may the force be with you young one.

i left this out of my last comment. the reason why so many people are being stereotypical against foreign manga is that if you compare it to Japanese manga the artwork is crappy. that is why they call it manga influenced drawings and comics. they take some of the manga concepts and try to make their own unque twist to the artwork which looks plain crappy. one exception though is "Peach Fuzz" and "Miki Falls" those are the best lookin American manga i saw yet. they could get it published in japan if they wanted it to. also alot of foreign manga have crappy stories to them which makes no sense. people say what's the difference but there is a big difference, bad artwork and stories dont cut it. Tokyo Pop just publishes any old thing. if you want to get published in japan try going to Kodansha best choice. make sure you manga doesnt look like your"run of the mil" foreign manga. most of those OEL manga look like regular american comics or Nicktoons. that is not real manga. before you guys get mad and start sayin' i cant draw and "like you really know the difference" or i dont know what i am talkin about and make fun of my artwork. my style is similar to Jin Kobayashi creator of school rumble. my style is real manga.

Hello, I have posted on this thread a year or so ago, and all I can say is that I'm that much closer to living my dream!

With the help of a friend, I will be doing kengaku (observational study) with real manga-ka! Mr. Kurihara from the company Futabasha (Crayon Shin-chan, Lupin III, Cutey Honey, etc) offered me this opportunity, as well as space to grow with the company as an apprentice, and eventually the real deal. I can tell you now that the most important thing is to practice your Japanese as much as you can, and make a lot of Japanese friends to help you out with grammar/spelling (since you will most likely start out without the aid of an assistant, and you don't totally want to piss off your editor). As others have stated, it is a very busy life, and technically manga doesn't pay all the bills. Eventually if you hit it big you can do events, conventions, speeches, signings, etc to make money, but until then you will need another sort of income.

Try and start out like I did, and ask if you could be an assistant (as it might be a little rude to ask a company to do kengaku). Make sure you have an actual job in Japan, this is why having a less stressful job as a assistant might be best. An ALT job in Japan would be great, since most of them supply you with paid furnishing, insurance or whatever and most hours you will work are about 30, giving you plenty of time to help out after school hours. In any case, once you become a real manga ka, you should be able to have enough experience to charge 40-50 bucks an hour for advanced English classes (and yes Japanese people will pay this if they find you qualified). Having a spouse/partner who is working will also help greatly.

I know lots of people here have told you that it's hard to achieve this goal, and I will agree to that as well. You can have a ll sorts of drawing styles (and boy have I've seen some ugly published manga), but the point is, the manga life is not all glamour. I love it because I enjoy writing and drawing, but if you only want to be famous and popular, then give up now. I'm sure Micheal Arias (the first non-Japanese director of a Japanese anime film) did it for the love of animation, not for the hopes of becoming known worldwide. But he is also an example that it can be done. All I can say is good luck, and keep your chin up :)

I actually have a harder dream than all of you guys;
I am a 21yrs Iraqi boy & have the same dream as you, I want to be a manga artist... you may laugh at me but It is true, one of my friends (he is Iraqi also) went to japan after finishing an art college, I would really like to thank many people who posted in this forum because they helped me alot, I hope I can achieve it and I achieved many hard things before...It won't be the first time!

Greetings.I know how u feel I 2 want to become a manga artist.I'm going to college soon and trying to find the right one.it seems as though no one knows wat I'm talking about(mainly cuz I live in the country)but I'm gonna find out.so any way I got a story and I'm working on the charecters.

So I just want to say good luck
and you all have helped me.

Domo alrigato.

Forget anything negative anyone here might tell you, and just publish your work. It doesn't matter what language it's in, as long as it's good. Then you will find your audience, weither you want to or not. It took a short stay in the Army (3 months eo be exact) for me to learn that lesson. I started working on the old strip again in my down time, and all the soldiers kept asking me one simple question; why the hell are you here when you should be doing this?

It's a good dream to keep alive, that dream of yours. Me personally I'd much rather live in Japan and publish my book world wide than simply settle on being a humble manga-ka, but that's just me. After all, manga refers more to a style of art these days, rather than a profession of art. Since the word quite literally means "comics" in Japanese, as long as you can put pen to paper, and form a story others can read and inter the point on; you are a "manga" artist. So try not to sweat the details so much.

Another tact you could try is character design for a game company, as those are in higher demand... Well pretty much everywhere. If you should happen to snag some programing experience in that venture, all the better to sell yourself. Take care.

i also want to become a manga artist (im 17) its a long shot but im going to follow it. im an american and i plan on going to japan after i graduate from high school to study there ways. i dont know how my future will look like but i wont quit and i really hope you dont either good luck dude!!!

Thanks for posting such a question. We share the same dream and reading the answers given have brought the courage and ideas to go true with my dream tough I don't have much support from my family...
Now, before, entering on a big story, it would be better to create a short story first and publish it in a magazine.

Thank you very much.

Hi, my name is Jeremy Mauney and back in 2004 I made some connections in Japan through my Japanese fiance and was able to score an interview with Tetsuo Hara (Fist of the North Star, Street Fighter). I had to fly out to Tokyo in less than 5 days and have the interview the day after I arrived. It was nerveracking as hell... but I got hired.
Hara sensei thought it would be a unique experiment to apprentice an American, especially one that DID NOT speak Japanese.

After several weeks of extremely intense training (at least 12 hours everyday), I was thrown right into working on his newest serial manga, Fist of the Blue Sky. It was an incredible experience, and I worked very hard to keep up with all of the older, more experienced Japanese manga assistants.

I began drawing manga in my 3rd year of high school, self-publishing DragonBall Z fan comics and such... although I never thought I would end up in Tokyo doing it for a living.

I worked on Fist of the Blue Sky volumes 13-15 as well as some special editions of the original Fist of the North Star. Finally in 2006 I resigned and became a freelance illustrator and English/Drama Instructor around central Japan.

Currently I am back in the USA traveling to Anime and Comic conventions sharing my story as well as working on some new projects.

You can view more info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Mauney

Good luck to all of you! Nothing is impossible if you want it bad enough and know what to do!!!!

great!
to become one.. get up now & start doing it... let's all meet at the finnish line!

Heres a good idea that I've herd.
1) Is to definitely become fluent in Japanese.
2) Start out here in America. Go to American Anime Conventions and show off your work. Because if you cant make it in America you wont make it in Japan.
3) Once your through with that go to Japan and read, read, read as much manga as possible. This will help you get to know how Japanese manga works. Both language (since youll be fluent) and the flow of it.
4) (I dont know how Japanese Conventions work) But try showing your work also there as well. That way native Japanese can critique your work.
5) Then find an editor and submit your best work. If he turns you down. Find the reasons why and fix them.

Also:
I would take courses in asian studies (to get to know the culture better)

If you're in a country that 'accepts' comic&mangas,I'm dead jalous!!I started drawing 2 years ago when i was 11.Rigt now, I can say i've got a story and characters(it's surprisingly unique&attractive).If you're in a country where pros are ther, just publish it!I'm in a country where actual comic are non.NON.There ain't aSINGLE comic.In case of my dream, being born in Japan is WAAAAY luckier than being born in Bangladesh!

It's a long shot, but not impossible. I'm 14 but i'm not going to kid myself, i'm good but not good enough right now, and my story is good but isnt good enough yet either. i may not have experience but i hope i can help you, i know what it's like to have this near impossible dream.

see every detail, learn your style and nail it down. read lots and lots of manga, read manga you wouldnt even touch if you werent forcing yourself to (like pick up DBZ if you're a fruits basket fan), and take notes on their style, learn from them. although it's extremely important not to settle, try to look at others art and look for the bad. think to yourself "would i have noticed that if i want looking?" having a couple mistakes is fine, readers probably wont notice all of them. your art should be fantastic, not perfect.

dont believe your family when they tell you you're great, dont listen to your friends either. they love you and want to be nice to you, it might also be that they simply have dont know what they're talking about. post it on the internet, people arent afraid to hurt your feelings when they dont have to see your face. only listen to specific things people like or dislike about your art, ignore anyone who says "ur sooo great!!" or "u suck!!1!"

you wont be able to get it published if it's not in japanese with japanese sound effects and japanese EVERYTHING. It doesnt matter, you just wont. Take online courses, get Japanese friends, whatever. It just has to be in Japanese, man.

letting yourself grow is important too. take baby steps before you start running, or else you'll probably just fall on your face. enter art on deviant art and all the other websites under the sun. try making a short story first, and send it into a ton of magazines. try becoming an apprentice or an assistant. show your work at comic convections. anything. just get a little of your art into the world and listen to the feedback. but keep in mind, the likelihood of us getting quickly published and accepted in japan is about as likely as your brothers garage band getting a record deal, and the likelihood of us making it big is just about as likely as your brothers band becoming the next coldplay. yeah. x_x

being in this business is crazy, it's stressful, it's tiring, not at romantic or easy as it might look. you have to have nerves of steel. Passion isn't enough, you have to be ferocious, wanting it isn't enough, you have to need it, it's your dream, you have to FIGHT for it. doubt it and your dead. People like us might not need to be so hardcore if we were born in japan but we weren't.

heheh. You can tell I'm trying to be a mangaka; I'm so dramatic :3

i'll be wishing you the best of luck (you'll need it)
--ember

Make sure your style is your own and distinct from other artists.

Some people speak English in Japan.
Naruto.... it was good before the Shippuden series. Sure it taught alot of people about courage and stuff or whatever, and infulenced more people to make ninja RPGs on the internet. Also caused a boy to burry himself in sand... in Shippuden, it lost it's influence I mean I don't even watch it anymore. They artist basiclly lost his insperation or touch.
When you first make a manga you already have the idea of like, the first episode or to the 18th... or so. I think that making an infinite or almost like that, how many naruto episodes? I think like 490 or 500 so... dang.... and also considering how fast the dude makes them like a volume per 1 or 2 months... I going to admit the episodes until I think after the mist part or the mission after that was very touching and good. After that the dude is just making up more things to keep the readers or watchers interested.
Now, what does make a manga story intersting is make others want to turn the page more, you want to, lets's say the dude gets shot end the page then it makes the readers think, is he dead or alive so it makes them turn the page keep doing that and end the volume like that and you've got a person that read the whole manga.