[Home] [What is Anime] [History of Anime/Manga] [Anime Dictionary] [Anime Characters] [Anime Hair] [Titles for the Beginner]

To understand the history of anime, one must first know about manga, or Japanese comics. one of the most difficult things for western audiences to understand is that anime and manga are not designed strictly for children in Japan. In the western world, comics have only been around for a comparatively short period of time, and have been almost exclusively marketed toward young people. In Japan, however, artists have been telling stories through the use of drawings for several centuries, so its appeal is much more widespread as the average Japanese person views comics and animation as just another way to tell a story without an age stigma attached to it.

The Japanese artist Hokusai (1760-1849) was the first person to use the term "manga" in 1815, when he referred to some of his comic sketches as "careless" (man) "drawings" (ga).

While available throughout the beginning of the 20th century, manga was not a very popular medium until after World War II. Beginning in the 50's, manga, followed by anime, became very popular ways for artists and writers to deal with the devastation of the war in a new way. From this point on, manga and anime became an important part of Japanese society. Manga is generally read by adult commuters on their way to and from work, then discarded. Unlike most Americans who read manga then keep it in an ever-growing collection for as long as possible. It is a cheap and relaxing entertainment for the people who read it weekly, allowing them to get lost in the story, making the most of wasted time. Most of the manga is published weekly as large collections, usually in black and white. The high volume of published manga generally means that the artists have to work exceptionally hard to produce enough material each week, sometimes as much as sixteen or more pages each day.

Manga and anime is read and enjoyed by men, women, boys, and girls across Japan. There are a wide variety of storylines to appeal to a huge variety of readers. Everything from complex social issues, the future, humanity, and fun topics are found in the pages of manga and on the screens with anime.