For many manga fans, their dream is to one day be part of the manga creation process, whether that’s publishing their own comic or taking part in writing the story. And with all the tools and publishing platforms available today, that dream has never felt closer. But what does it take to break into the Japanese manga industry, and what actually makes a project successful? What does success even mean? This past weekend at Anime Expo, Noboru Segawa, director and editor-in-chief of Kadokawa‘s Global Comics Department, sat down with moderator and manga journalist Deb Aoki to spill the secrets on just what it takes to create a successful manga.
Segawa, who also has 24 years of experience as a manga editor, was quick to encourage creators from all over the world. He highlighted some of the recent global creators who have been published by Kadokawa, with winners from recent Kadokawa contests hailing from India (masterlynx for Kung Fu Kung Fool), Vietnam (Syo.Era for Cry or the witch will come), and other countries.
He broke his list of tips into five main points, starting with 1. Don’t rush your first hit. Like all good things, success takes time and patience. Segawa mentioned that even if an artist were to receive a positive review from an editor, it doesn’t necessarily mean that immediate success will follow—he pointed out one of his mangaka, Arata Aki, who didn’t achieve wide commercial success until the publication of her fourth title, A Destructive God Sits Next to Me. As for her success, he credited her continual hard work in learning and incorporating market awareness. Aki isn’t alone in her trajectory—many of Segawa’s artists took a few titles to hit their stride, which he noted involved not only compatibility with their editor, but also being at the right place in the market at the right time.
Despite the emphasis on marketability, though, his number two intangible that editors looked for was “Your unique personality, strengths, and what suits you best.” Publishers will generally try to pair a creator with an editor who will mesh well with them and understand their preferred genres, but even so, having a point of view is critical.
The most important thing to focus on, though? “Prioritize compelling character creation above all else,” Segawa said. The Japanese manga market relies heavily on readers being able to relate to characters or having characters that they love.
He pointed to cosplay and character merchandise as examples, emphasizing the importance of giving characters distinctive, unique features so they can be recognized at a glance. “Think about their background and upbringing, and also their flaws and complexities. People want to sympathize with them, so how can you make their flaws appealing?”
Fourthly, “Build a relationship of radical trust with your editor.” Segawa emphasized the compatibility between editors and mangaka, as well as the importance of being open to feedback. One way new creators can get the opportunity to dialogue with editors is by attending “mochikomi,” essentially portfolio review sessions such as those held by Kadokawa at Anime Expo. (One big no-no? Flaking on a mochikomi appointment. “It’s a bad look,” Aoki agreed.) The sessions are meant to be an open conversation between the editor and the creator, partly so they can figure out whether they can get along with the artist and work together, and for the artist to assess compatibility as well. While finished pages and completed manuscripts are preferable, incomplete storyboards can also be acceptable.
© KADOKAWA CORPORATION
As to what makes good artists stand out, Segawa said that successful artists were those who could digest feedback from their editors and, on their own, synthesize it, rather than blindly following their instructions. “You can’t just fix something superficially because you were told to; you need to think about the ‘why’ and understand it yourself.”
Lastly, “Balance your creative dreams with the reality of deadlines.” Are you ready to pursue your dream of becoming a manga artist in Japan? Kadokawa has three main paths for aspiring creators—they have an editorial team that will travel the world to conduct in-person portfolio reviews (if you missed Anime Expo, you have another chance in New York this summer, as well as Taiwan in the fall), a team that reviews online submissions, and the Kadokawa World Manga Contest.
Disclosure: Kadokawa World Entertainment (KWE), a wholly owned subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, is the majority owner of Anime News Network, LLC. One or more of the companies mentioned in this article are part of the Kadokawa Group of Companies.
