The feeling of becoming a foreign comic artist working in Japan

The comics are a key part of Japanese culture and the country is thriving in great pride. In Japanese schools, it is very common for students to doodle cartoon characters on their notebooks, and many people grow up and want to become illustrators or mango.

Despite its expansion in global visibility, it has traditionally remained an isolated medium. Unlike American comics, it is dominated by Japanese creators and is highly competitive. Even successful mangoes are long and deadlines may be unremitting.

However, the industry has recently undergone a decisive shift: international creators have begun to replace them with local talent in Japan. morningKodansha’s weekly his Magazine has embraced this trend, looking for artists from Asia and Europe.

In May, it launched MeaheimDark Fantasy written by bestselling author Kenji Tsurubuchi, illustrated by 25-year-old Spanish Mango Konata. This is the second time in three years morning Under the guidance of editor Ayane Chiba, the works of Spanish artists were published on both occasions.

Friends’ Friends

Chiba’s resume includes Oda-chan to Akechi-kun and Chi’s sweet homedue to its popularity in Europe, the latter was translated into France. Her path to working with Spanish artists began with Juan Albarran, explaining the series Get the gunman By Shoji Fujimoto. Chiba studied in Spain during college and he spoke fluent Spanish, which made the collaboration suitable.

“After having such a successful run with Juan, I expressed the potential of a foreign writer to our editorial team,” she recalled. “Hearing this, Juan told me that he knew a really talented young artist who turned out to be konata. I think the mango community in Spain is much smaller than Japan, so it’s already connected.”

Chiba has little resistance to foreign talent. “We already have a lot of experience working with Chinese and Korean artists, so there is no push. If anything, they think it seems interesting.”

For Chiba, Meaheim People have been popular compared to her usual genre. “I’m working on a lot of work on human drama and relationships, but I actually really like action and horror,” she said. “I don’t work hard often, so I’m really excited. Meaheim. ”

“Matagi Gunner” by Shoji Fujimoto

The Rise of Konata

Like many Gen Z fans, Konata’s love for comics began with anime classics, such as Naruto,,,,, cardcaptor cherry blossom,,,,, Inuyasha and piece. “I remember when I was very young, it was amazing that the characters of comic characters had a lot of emotional depth,” she said. “In the West, comics and animations were for kids, so when I first read comics, I was really emotionally influenced.”

Konata mimics her favorite mango, gradually developing her own detailed, complex style that quickly gained a loyal following.

By the time she met Chiba in December 2022, she was only 22 years old, but had two successful series Cova and no longerserialization Comic PlanetSpanish magazine.

The opportunity to work in Japan was faster than she thought. “I think I’ll learn Japanese first,” she admitted. “It all happened so quickly. It’s very exciting, but honestly, it scared me.”

This fear stems from the dual challenges of navigating Japan’s demanding serialization schedules and entering the close-connected industry of outsiders. But Konata saw the power of the position.

“My biggest weakness – not from Japan – is also my biggest strength,” she said. “The language barrier is tough, but I can teach something or express something differently, just because of where I was born.”

exist Meaheimshe brings an outside perspective to a haunting story centered on a scholar named Ren, who ventures into Meichi’s surreal underworld to find a fabulous panacea for her sick brother.

In this world, rotten fruit re-touches the branches and bends at will. Konata’s illustrations echo the creepy landscape, stark shadows and otherworldly creatures.

“Meaheim” | via @meaheim x account

The obstacles and advantages of international mango

Although Konata’s perspective enriches the work, it also presents practical challenges. In Japan, the illustrator who worked with a separate writer got a “name”, a roughly sketched storyboard with dialogue and stick numbers.

Japanese artists can usually identify speakers from texts alone, relying on gender’s voice patterns or context. No fluent Japan Meaheim. Chiba solves this with clearer annotations, but cultural nuances proved to be trickier.

“In the editorial meeting, we made very specific analogies, such as ‘the feeling of being forgotten in elementary school in a milk-drinking competition’,” Chiba explained. “Or we’d say, ‘This character isn’t angry, but it’s awkward.’ With cultural differences, some artists won’t understand why the character feels this emotion in this situation.”

However, these differences also make the team’s work sharper. “Early, Conata commented Meaheim There are very few female characters we haven’t noticed. She and Juan often point to movements that look more natural, and once we do, we often think: “That’s real.”

The Future of International Comics

Looking ahead, Kodansha is focusing on American and French talents, with comic readers thriving. For Chiba, foreign artists not only bring diversity, but also opportunities.

“Many truly talented artists usually go straight to Shonen Jump She said, or a bigger magazine. morningwe are very grateful. ”

Despite this, the industry needs of everyone remain the same. “You probably won’t succeed immediately,” Chiba explains. “It’s good to be mentally prepared and not to accept initial failures in person. The comics industry is tough, but it also makes sense, and the window of opportunity for foreigners is expanding.”

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