Notice of publication of the English version of the Kyoto International Manga Museum Official Guidebook
Outline of the book
The book follows the story of Curator Meow who starts working as a new curator at the Kyoto International Manga Museum and her supervisor, Dr. Neko. Curator Meow is scatterbrained but full of enthusiasm and love for manga. She grows day by day as she is taught by Dr. Neko, sometimes passionately and sometimes calmly.
Points of interest
- Learn the basics of manga research in an easy-to-understand format, entirely in English, through the story of Dr. Neko and Curator Meow.
- Discover the structure and conventions of manga under the guidance of the Kyoto International Manga Museum and Kyoto Seika University International Manga Research Center.
- View a rich array of visual materials from the Kyoto International Manga Museum’s collection, from ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) to international comics, printed in full color.
Aim of the book (quoted from the introduction)
“What’s manga?”
This book, focusing mainly on paper-based manga publications, explores the question from a variety of perspectives based on academic research findings, including the history of manga, how it is made, and how it spreads. In other words, it is an introductory book to be read as the first step in manga research.
Thinking about surprising questions about manga that you may not know, increases the appeal of manga many times over, and you will be able to enjoy it in a more in-depth way.
Come on a journey to discover the depths and fascination of the world of manga, together with newbie Curator Meow, who has just started working at the Kyoto International Manga Museum, along with her supervisor Dr. Neko.
Contents
Chapter 1. When did manga begin?
Chapter 2. Who reads manga?
Chapter 3. How to make manga
Chapter 4. Manga conventions
Chapter 5. Are manga artists rich?
Chapter 6. The increasing ways to enjoy manga
Chapter 7. Is manga read all around the world?
Chapter 8. What kind of comics and manga exist around the world?
True story! The people behind Curator Meow
Overview
Book title: What's Manga? An Introduction to Japanese Comics
Publisher: Seigensha
Specifications: B5 size, total number of pages: 114 pages, left-hand binding edge.
Price: 2,750 yen (tax included, base price 2,500 yen)
Supervision and editing: Kyoto International Manga Museum and Kyoto Seika University International Manga Research Center
Manga artwork and illustrations: Horiguchi Itsu
Release details
Publication date: Thursday, March 27th, 2025.
Sales location: Kyoto International Manga Museum, 1st floor, Museum Shop (Karasuma-dori Oike-agaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto)
* Also simultaneously released in bookstores nationwide and digitally on Kindle.
Museum visitor discount
In celebration of the release date, anyone who presents their museum admission ticket at the museum shop on the day of release will receive a 10% discount off the regular price in both the Japanese and English versions. This discount is a limited time offer from the release date until Monday, June 30th.
Japanese edition: Discount price 1,782 yen (usual price: 1,980 yen)
English edition: Discount price 2,475 yen (usual price: 2,750 yen)
Recommendation comments
“Everyone knows manga. Is that true ?”
- Kyoto International Manga Museum, honored past Director, Yoro Takeshi.
“For those who don’t know what manga is,
Talking pictures, turn into moving pictures, unfold to tell dramas, and eventually becomes something that isn’t even pictures. One could consider it a ‘monitor that doesn’t need electronics.’ Anything projected onto the manga scene gets transformed into manga. This incredible invention has unwittingly connected the entire world, and has become the ‘next word after words.’ So, where do you suppose manga will take us?”
- Kyoto International Manga Museum, Director, Aramata Hiroshi.
Cover
