Japan's manga culture has legions of fans around the world. One thing overseas readers often want to know is: Why Japan? What is it about the Japanese system that has enabled it to produce one high-quality hit after another? We take a look behind the scenes at some of the factors that have made Japanese manga an artistic genre with the diversity and depth to stand alongside novels and movies.

In a meeting with the editor. (C)Okubo Keizo

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A team of five assistants gets to work on a manga drawn by Kumagai Kyoko (shown in the back of the picture). (C)Okubo Keizo

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Manga artist Kumagai Kyoko at work. (C)Okubo Keizo

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The characters are an extremely important factor in any manga, and are drawn by the artist in person. (C)Okubo Keizo

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Close Collaboration between Artist and EditorOne reason often given for the high quality of Japanese manga is the prominent role played by the editor. The first stage in the serialization of any manga starts with the artist and editor sitting down together to confer on a story. The artist then draws up a rough storyboard called the “name.” At this stage, the manga is just a crude sketch featuring simple drawings with dialogue. Once the editor gives this draft the go-ahead, work gets started on the real thing. This is the stage when decisions need to be taken on plot and characters development. Depending on the type of manga, the artist may carry out research interviews at this stage. If the artist gets stuck, the editor is the perfect person to provide advice. Many manga works have been lifted to a higher level by a touch of timely advice from the editor. From the artist’s point of view, the editor is a creative partner and close friend, sharing the artist’s anxieties and making sure that work proceeds smoothly. It has been said that the editor contributes around 30 percent of what makes a manga successful.

In Japan, the editor also acts as a link between artists and readers, visiting bookstores to sound out readers’ opinions in person and conducting surveys to find out how readers are reacting to each episode as it appears. Often this feedback can have a direct effect on how the manga unfolds. The editor also acts as a promoter, organizing reader events, offering autographed gifts, and coming up with ideas to boost sales. Another important part of the editor’s job is to unearth and nurture new talent.

A Japanese System for Producing Outstanding MangaThe unique editorial system in place at Japanese manga magazines has played a crucial part in making manga a global success. One good example of how this system works can be seen in the voting system introduced by the Shonen Jump manga magazine. Each issue of the magazine includes a postcard that asks readers to vote for their favorite series. The editors then rank the various series by popularity in the next issue, with the most popular stories appearing closer to the front of the magazine. Unpopular series are often cut based on the results of these surveys. Editorial departments at other magazines are similarly ruthless. Once readers lose interest in a story, a magazine is highly unlikely to continue with its serialization—no matter how well known its writer happens to be.

Nakada Kenichi, a Japanese manga editor with many years’ experience at Shogakukan, one of Japan’s major publishers, says that Japan’s unique editorial infrastructure is one of the major strengths of the Japanese manga industry. “I’d say it took almost half a century to build the system we have today, capable of producing such a volume of high-quality manga. The huge stock of old manga is another strength for the industry in Japan. We have a long history of trial and error—all kinds of different ideas have been tried in every kind of genre. It goes without saying that having such a huge stock of ideas has been a huge benefit for manga in Japan.”

An assistant works on a fan, drawing from life to ensure absolute accuracy. (C)Okubo Keizo

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Competition is another important element in Japan, according to Kumagai Kyoko, one of Nakada’s popular manga artists. “There’s an urge to be better than the next person, to come up with a big hit. This sense of competition spurs people on and helps refine their skills” she says. “The presence of talented assistants is also important. I have two series on the go at the moment—with an installment due every two weeks. Each episode is 30 pages. It would be impossible for me to come up with that much material on my own, so I always work with the help of five assistants. Little details are important—the background to a panel, things that the characters are holding in their hands, and so on. The quality of the overall product suffers if you neglect the details, so I always insist on getting every just right, down to the smallest details.”

It is thanks to Japan’s unique editorial system and the work of the passionate artists and writers who have dedicated their lives to their craft that Japanese manga have become a global phenomenon. (February 2011)